


Fighting True Savagery

by FoxInTheHenHouse



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: F/M, Love, Murder, Revenge, Sex, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-24
Updated: 2018-10-19
Packaged: 2018-10-23 11:24:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 31
Words: 80,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10718418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxInTheHenHouse/pseuds/FoxInTheHenHouse
Summary: A new fanatical cult has risen in Zootopia. Maniacs bent on tearing down the society they feel is an affront to nature as they target pred and prey alike. The 'Heroes of Zootopia' must find and stop these killers before they can target someone else, unaware that they are already targeting one of them...





	1. Chapter 1

Living shadows crept along every wall, existing in the absence of the light that created them. The candlelight changed their shapes, causing them to be larger in one moment, or more hideously disfigured the next. Flickering in and out of existence, they oozed a presence of sheer terror to anyone in their midst. Unfortunately for one small mammal, he was in their gaze.

The room the jackrabbit was being held in was large in size especially for such a small captive. The feeling of claustrophobia the rabbit was currently experiencing came not from the walls, but from the straps around his wrists and ankles. The blood around his wrists was dried from days of continuous struggle against his bonds. Even now, when he had so little energy left to fight, he vainly pulled at the ties that kept him from his freedom. Hearing keys being slid into the lock of the door above his head, he began to sob quietly. He knew why they were coming. He knew what was going to happen. And he knew he was probably going to die. For the coppery smell of blood that surrounded him had long ago told him he was most likely next.

The heavy wooden door creaked open, the iron hinges rusted and without care. The scrape as the wood rubbed along the stone floor caused the rabbit to flinch, the sound grating in his overly large ears. A cloaked silhouette slowly stepped into the room, as black as the shadows behind it. A single paw, draped in black, ran over the cobblestone walls of the room, feeling the roughness of stone against flesh. A ritual of the unseen figure's, the stone along that paw trail was clean of dirt and dust. Circling around the center of the room, it gave no indication it even noticed the captive.

"Please," a small voice begged. "Please let me go. I don't know what you want but I'll give you anything. I'll get it for you no matter the cost. Just please, let me go."

"Let you go…" The quiet rumble of the figure's voice resonated against the stone surrounding them. "Yes, yes I suppose I could do that."

The rabbit sighed in relief. "So…I can go home?"

"That depends."

The rabbit gulped. "O-… On w-what?"

"How the audience decides." With a flick of his paw, the unseen camera was activated, the bright light of a computer monitor shining behind it. The unknown specter pulled off his hood to reveal a mask covering his face, nondescript enough to shield the type of mammal he was beneath it but overwhelmingly terrifying nevertheless. Disappearing for a moment, he soon returned dragging a heavy table behind him, unveiling the cloth-covered surface.

Stretching his neck as far as his body would allow, the jackrabbit immediately turned his head and retched. His nose did not have to detect the blood left behind as he could still see it. The blades of the knives stained with it, the clubs smeared with it, the curved hooks painted with it. He began slowly sobbing again as he realized what his captor had in store for him. Maiming. Mutilation. _Torture_.

Moving directly in front of the camera, he began broadcasting. "For too long have animals willingly kept themselves in the dark. Their idea of perfect harmony among all species is a lie. No species is immune to their hubris. No species willing to admit that their 'superiority' is a manipulation of the truth. Every single species fails to truly understand the true nature behind themselves. About what they are really made of. This mammal behind me will have to test his worth, to see if he truly deserves his species' ego. And then you, the citizens of Zootopia, will decide his fate."

With that, the masked creature turned to the table before selecting a long, thin blade from the end of the row. Caressing it as they would a lover, he slowly moved to the side of the now struggling rabbit. Laying the tip of the knife above the other animal's wrist, he pressed in slowly. The skin stretched inward as he heard the rabbit cry out. Shortly after, the knife tore through the flesh on the arm. A gasp met the torturer's ears but went unacknowledged as he pressed in deeper. More and more of the blade sunk gradually into the muscle beneath the skin, eliciting shrieks from the captive on the table. The few minutes felt like days as the struggling mammal tried to flee the knife digging through it's flesh. Finally reaching through to the end, the captor slid the knife through the second layer of skin on the opposite side of the arm. Pausing once it was completely embedded, the black robed figure took in the sight of the rabbit's arm trickling blood onto the table before pooling on the floor.

Shadows danced over the crying jackrabbit's face as he whimpered in agony. "Please. No more. No more."

Turning his head to look at the cowering prey on the table, the larger mammal rasped without any real emotion behind it, "No more? But we haven't even begun." Grabbing the knife handle, he twisted hard, causing the victim to scream. "Now. Let's get started"

For hours the poor rabbit was tortured. Many times he lost consciousness only to be brought back by a bucket of ice water dumped over him. Freezing, wet, and losing blood, he cried over and over for his captor to let him go. His pitiful cries were met with indifference as his torturer would simply select a new tool to remove bits of flesh from the rabbit, slice through tendons and muscle, even burning the bottoms of his hind paws until the fur smoked. With multiple stab wounds, excess loss of blood, several broken ribs, and a fractured eye socket, he didn't expect to even be alive.

Eventually the mammal stood and moved toward the camera. "After the spectacle of what you just saw, do you feel this _rabbit_ is worthy to call himself that? Is his strength enough to insure his species would survive because of him? What say you?" They moved to slide a guillotine to the head of the victim. "Do you pick 'Merciful?'" He then moved to the table and picked up a hacksaw and tapped it on the bunny's leg. "Or, do you choose 'Merciless'?"

The rabbit couldn't see what the computer said but he was praying for a merciful end.

"Merciless it is."

"NOOOO!" screamed the rabbit.

As the figure picked up the hacksaw, he moved over to the jackrabbit, placed the blade below his knee, and slowly begin pushing it back and forth.

The shrieks echoed through the halls as the rabbit felt himself stop being one.

* * *

Chief Bogo stared at his computer screen. His normally stoic face now slightly white, looking almost sick. He closed the laptop and reached for his intercom. Regaining his composure, he paged reception. "Clawhauser. Everyone in the bullpen. _Now_."


	2. Chapter 2 - Testing the limits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't own Zootopia, thank god. I'm pretty fucked up.

The bullpen was often very loud as all the different mammals of Precinct One would usually joke around, pushing and shoving each other. Each animal wanting to show they were the toughest on the force. Paw wrestling was quite popular between the larger predators and occasionally one of the rhinos would toss their horn into the ring. There would be some normal gossip between a few of the females in the back, mainly office rumors or talking about their love lives. And of course, the smallest partners in the room had their standard tradition of constant back and forth meaningless flirting, each seeing who could make the other one blush first or the heaviest, with the fox normally being the victor although lately the bunny had been getting bolder, turning the tide.

The mood in the bullpen _today_ was anything but. For the Chief to call a meeting in the middle of the afternoon was rare and it was never a positive thing, the last being during the Nighthowler crisis. It left the officers concerned and restless. A few of the males started to fidget in their seats. Being kept in the dark was something no cop enjoyed and it began to gnaw on their nerves. The lone fox, Nick Wilde, tried to keep it light with a few jokes here and there but no one was buying into it. Truth be told, neither was he. They hadn't been told anything and yet the fear of the unknown was already encroaching on them.

A sound of hooves on the tile brought everyone to attention as the door opened softly and Chief Bogo entered the room. Normally the tough scowl of their boss was enough to get everyone fired up for the day. His glare was legendary, enough to make even an elephant flinch and was even known to shake up Wilde, something only his partner had ever been able to do. They were unprepared to see his stern face replaced with unusual contemplation. Even harder to fathom was when he looked up directly at Nick, his gaze more apologetic than accusatory. "Wilde. Step outside."

The room was a bit silent before a few muttering voices could be heard in the back of the room. His partner, Judy, looked up at him mouthing ' _What did you do?_ ' Nick could only shrug before mouthing back ' _I have no idea_.' She didn't look entirely convinced but her violet eyes conveyed her trust in him as well as her worry _for_ him.

As he exited the room, Chief Bogo followed him and closed the door behind him. Eyeing the smaller fox, he could see the mammal start to sweat a bit, obviously wondering how he had fucked up now. Any other time, the Chief would have relished in the position the fox was in, but today was not that day. Not by a long shot. In fact, it may go down as one of the worst in his career.

Bogo sighed before placing a hoof on the young officer's shoulder. "Wilde-…Nick. I didn't take you out here to berate you. I'm going to be going into that room to deliver a very serious case to everyone. It's…disturbing on many levels. I'm giving you a heads up because of your attitude." Bogo raised his hoof as Nick opened his mouth to object. "Hold off, Wilde. You've been an officer for just over a year. In that time I learned to understand you better than you would like. I know you use humor as a defensive mechanism, especially when you feel cornered. This case is going to be pushing everyone's boundaries, especially your partner's. She's never seen anything like this and I need you to put aside your jokes and wisecracks. I need a rock in the room and because of how you've portrayed yourself in the past year, my strongest option is you. Can you handle that?"

Nick swallowed the lump in his throat. "I-I can sir."

The Chief sighed in relief. "Thank you, Nick." He made to move back towards the door before Nick stopped him.

"Before we go in there, can I see the file? If I'm gonna play the part I need to be prepared."

Bogo raised his brow before deciding he had a point. Handing the case file over, he watched as Nick slowly opened it, knowing what was coming next.

"Oh son of a BITCH!"

* * *

The side door opened and Chief Bogo walked back into the room followed by a very stoic Nick Wilde. As serious as Nick's face was, most of the other officers sat up very straight in their seats. Sliding back into place next to his partner, he kept his maw clamped shut, not willing to give away any of the feelings currently storming around inside of him. And it worked as it normally did against every mammal in the room, save for one. Brilliant purple eyes studied him closely, noticing the minute twitches of his ears. The stiffness in the fur on his tail. The tiny flick of his claws. Something had upset her partner greatly and it wasn't just fear. It was an emotion she had rarely ever felt from him. _Hate_.

Bogo reached the podium and cleared his throat as he looked up at his officers. "Listen up. We have a new case. This one takes priority over everything. Every officer will now be assigned to this case and nothing _but_ this case. I have already arranged for some of the other precincts to send us their rookies to handle the normal patrols to cover for you." Glancing around, his eyes briefly rested on Judy before continuing. "What I'm about to show you is extremely disturbing. Most of our veteran officers will not have seen this before and this will be especially troubling for the newest of you." Again he looked at Judy. "Hopps, if you want to leave the room I will understand. Your partner can fill you in on it later."

Judy was taken aback as was every officer in the room. Whatever Bogo had in that file was serious indeed if he thought the rabbit officer might not be able to handle it. Judy had the same thoughts. Considering the offer for a moment, she shook her head. "Where my partner goes, I go, Chief." Feeling Nick's paw cover hers, she let him interlace them together and squeezed her paw. As she looked up at him he locked eyes with hers. His emerald orbs conveyed his worry for her but also a strong sense of support. He smiled sadly as he accepted her decision, knowing what this would do to her.

The Cape Buffalo paused before snorting. "We have a madman here in Zootopia. We don't know if he's a zealot, a crackpot, or just sadistic, but what we do know is he hosts an online broadcast where he tortures his victims in front of potentially _thousands_ of viewers."

The room was completely silent. A few of the veterans sat rigid in their seats. A female cheetah in the back row looked she was going to be sick. Nick glanced at Judy, seeing her paw covering her mouth, a look of pure shock in her eyes. He squeezed her paw again to let her know he was there for her if she needed him.

Here was the part Bogo really wished he hadn't seen for himself. Lowering the projector, he opened his laptop. "What I have here is a recording of the broadcast. Apparently you can only view it if you have been 'invited' to. I was sent this by an old informant who shies away these activities but was able to obtain this recording. We learned there were two other broadcasts sent out in the month prior to this, but because the hosted site wipes itself after each stream, there is no digital evidence of them. So this is the only one we have to go on." Pressing play, he describes what he is seeing of the suspect. "He keeps himself concealed from head-to-toe, wearing a mask and clothes designed to conceal his species. We only know he is a male due to voice analysis showing he was not using a modulator." The scenes continued to play behind him showing the jackrabbit being brutalized causing several officers to grab a wastebasket to retch. Fast forwarding it to the end, he paused at the option that flashed on the screen. "This is the most important part of this video we have been given. The suspect gives the viewers a vote on how he will end the torture. If the victim has impressed the viewers with their strength and them being a 'credit to their species', they vote 'Merciful' to end the victim's suffering, usually through instantaneous, if not barbaric, means. However, if they feel the victim has been weak, they opt for the 'Merciless' choice, in which case the suspect lets the victim live but without something critical to them." he turned to Judy. "Hopps, I give you one last chance to leave the room."

Her face like stone, she sat up straight and shook her head. She was strong enough, she told herself.

Bogo gave her a look of pity as he resumed the video. Judy watched in horror as the hacksaw was placed to the rabbit's leg and began slowly sawing through it. The sound of several mammals heaving up their lunches was lost to the stunned bunny as she clutched her partner's paw with such strength he started to lose the feeling in it. She turned and buried her face into his side, letting out quiet sobs. He wrapped his arm around her, softly stroking her ears, telling her it was going to be okay. That they would find him. And that they would end this.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Glad people are liking it so far. For those sadistic weirdos like myself, the darker parts are coming soon.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own Zootopia, I own Disney! However I also was declared legally insane so what do I know?

"Sir, are you telling us there's _nothing_ in that video that we have to go on? No idea what species the bastard is? Where he is? Do we even know why he's doing this?" The anger in Officer Delgato's voice was frightening but also reserved as everyone could tell he was fighting to contain a roar from escaping his muzzle.

Bogo pinched the bridge of his nose before replying. "I've personally watched the entire video. Not once in the four hour tape does he slip up. The room is made to look like a medieval torture chamber you'd see in books or movies, but since there never were any of those built even close to Zootopia, we have no location. This was obviously a constructed set for ambiance."

"What about windows? Or sounds in the audio files that might give us a clue about the location?"

"No," Bogo shook his head. "The video never moves from the single point of view which contains no windows and the room appears to be soundproof which would make sense considering the actions taking place there."

"Chief," started Wolford. "How are we supposed to find this guy? No location, no sounds, no sights, nothing except a random website that appears and disappears at will. Do we even have the bodies to go off of?"

The Buffalo grimaced at the direct question. "We don't know if any of the victims have survived. We can only hope one of them resurfaces soon so we can find _something_ to go on. At this point, until we find one of them, alive or dead, we have nothing to go on except for this video." He broke off as Clawhauser barged through the door.

"Chief! Tundratown Medical Center just called. A Jackrabbit was brought in 20 minutes ago with life-threatening injuries. He was unconscious but they revived him long enough for him to tell them he has a message for you before he flat-lined. They got him back but he's not… stable… yet…" They watched as Clawhauser's face turned white as a ghost as he stared over Chief Bogo's head.

The room fell silent as the officers looked at the paused video.

Bogo cursed. "Did they say anything else."

Clawhauser swallowed hard. "He uh…His leg, sir. It was…cut off."

* * *

As Bogo headed to Tundratown, he looked over at his two smallest officers. The fox looked deep in thought while the bunny seemed as if she would be sick at any moment. Aware of his partner's anxiety, Nick would rub between her ears to help calm her down every now and then. It would gain her a few seconds of reprieve as she would smile gratefully at her partner before once again falling into her troubling thoughts. Bogo spent the time reliving the moment in the bullpen just hours before.

_The room was In an uproar. Every officer was fit to storm out of the precinct and head straight for the hospital._

_Bogo held up his hooves to calm down his men. It took a while but eventually they sat down to listen. He turned to Judy and Nick. "Hopps. Wilde. I want you on point for this victim." Judy looked shocked while the rest of the room started to object. Bogo slammed his hoof down on the table. "Did I_ ask _for your input?" He bellowed. "We have a_ rabbit _on life support after a horrendous life-altering experience. I would think you would all agree that a_ rabbit _might have better luck talking to him right now. Am I right in assuming so?" He stared them down. "We're all on this case which means certain aspects will be rotating between officers most likely to gain a lead. We're after a fanatic. Now is not the time to be thinking about your case records."_

_The officers continued to mumble even though they knew he had a good point. A case of this magnitude required all hands on deck, not selfish ambitions._

_"Hopps. Wilde. My cruiser. 10 minutes."_

He was so deep in thought he hadn't realized his body was on auto-pilot until they had arrived at the hospital. Parking out front, he grunted and got out of the cruiser. Nick and Judy followed suit, the larger of the two having to lower the other down due to the size of the vehicle. A light snow had drifted in after a heavy wind storm making the road look powdered. Nick could see their footprints behind them as they walked through the double doors into the lobby. The ER was busy as any usually are but tonight there was a darker atmosphere hanging overhead. The officers would have assumed it was all in their own heads as they were reflecting on the case, but after seeing several staff members exchange looks, they realized word was spreading through the employees quickly. _That'll have to stop now,_ Bogo told himself. _Last thing we need is a panic._

He stepped up to the counter and caught the attention of the antelope behind the desk. "Owen Dovers."

The female mammal grimaced before standing up. "Please, this way." As she walked down the hallway, the three mammals followed. Bogo heard whispering behind him and saw the fox and bunny talking, their heads bowed in close. He was able to make out pieces of the conversation, but felt uneasy about eavesdropping.

"Carrots, you don't have to do this. Me and the Chief can handle it."Nick's voice was full of concern for his partner.

Judy looked up expecting to see one of his many masks he used to hide his feelings but was a little stunned to see him fully open to her. His eyes showing sympathy and concern. His smile was meant to show his support but she could see his lip trembling sightly. She returned his smile with a smaller one of her own. "It's okay, Nick. Do I have to do this? No, no I do not. But I _need_ to." Reaching up she grabbed the paw he had wrapped around her shoulder and squeezed it, allowing him to pull her into his side.

Bogo kept his snort to himself. _These two are hopeless. But then again, this case doesn't leave much hope out there._ He reflected on the many signs he had seen over the past year. _Maybe once this is over I'll give them a couple weeks off. Hell, I should give everyone a couple weeks off after this. Myself included._ He mentally slapped his hoof to his face. _Marian was right. I_ am _getting soft._

"Here we are officers. He's stable for the time being but I would ask that you don't make this overly stressful on him. He's been in shock most of the evening."

"Thank you. Please let the doctor know I would like to speak with him."

"Right away, sir." With that the nurse left.

Bogo started to push open the door before hesitating. "Hopps. Maybe it's better if you and Wilde went in first."

Judy's eyes went wide before her resolve kicked in. "Yes sir." She slowly pushed open the door as she and Nick entered the room. Being made for small mammals, there wasn't much space for the Vulpine to stand so he took a seat in the far corner, near enough so he could hear but not close enough to potentially intimidate the victim.

Judy approached the bed where the jackrabbit seemed to be sleeping. Her eyes went immediately to the bandaged leg that was missing the lower half. She shuddered at the thought of a rabbit being without one of their legs. Her partner half rose out of his chair before she held up a paw to stop him. 'I'm okay,' she mouthed. He nodded and sat back down, unconvinced but willing to trust her. "Mr. Dovers?" No response came from the mammal. She tried again, her voice slightly louder. "Mr. Dovers? I'm Officer Hopps from the ZPD. Can you hear me?"

The Lagomorph twitched as he opened his eyes to see the female rabbit in front of him. "Well aren't you the prettiest thing I've seen all day."

The edge's of Judy's mouth turned up a bit at the older jackrabbit's attempt to distract himself from the pain he must be in considering the grimace that flashed across his face. "I'm not sure your wife would approve of that statement, Mr. Dovers," nodding towards his wedding band on the table.

"Hey, you're only in the lead because she isn't here yet," he winked. "I'm also two decades your senior so forgive an old buck for his harmless flirting."

"Well, if it wasn't for your current situation I might have had to let my partner do the talking," nodding her head to the corner.

The old buck turned to see the fox in the corner and blanched before he recognized him. "First fox cop, right?" Nick nodded. "Well hot damn. Wilde and Hopps. Never thought I'd get to meet you two. I just wish it was under better circumstances." He let out a ragged breath as he felt a spasm of pain across his chest.

"Do we need to call the doctor?" Nick asked. The jackrabbit shook his head, which was an immediate mistake as he sent another jolt down his spine.

"I think I'll stick to just verbal answers for now," he joked.

"I'm shocked sir, that you can joke around at a time like this," Judy stated, unsure if the victim was suffering some form of mental psychological damage as well which could hinder the investigation.

"Because the minute I slow down and think about it," he looked down at his missing leg. "That's when I lose. Ask your friend about it," he gestured towards Nick. "He knows, don't you kid?" Nick nodded glumly. He had been in much the same position many times in his life. "Oh my wounds will heal. My wife and children will help me through the physical pain and be a great help towards the emotional ones, but my leg…" His lips tightened into a scowl. "That one is going to be all on me." He was silent for a minute before snapping his eyes back to the officers. "I'm sorry, I know you are looking for answers and I don't want to keep you. I don't know if anything I say will be helpful but I'll tell you what I can."

"Thank you Mr. Dovers. Do you remember how you ended up-...there?" Judy tried to phrase the question as delicately as possible knowing full well that none of this was going to be easy on the old jackrabbit.

The rabbit's eyes grew glassy as he tried to recall the events from a few days ago. "I was…on my way home from work. I felt a pain in my neck as I was passing an alley. I remember reaching up and feeling something." His eyes widened. "It was a dart! I remember! I pulled it out. It was small. Metallic. Had a kind of blue fletching on the end. I remember a shadow standing over me and then nothing until waking up in that awful… room." His eyes grew dim as his face became fearful.

"I'm sorry Mr. Dovers. I wish we could postpone this, allow you time to heal, but right now you may be the only lead we have to stop this madman." Judy stepped a little closer to the bed. "Please Mr. Dovers."

Shaking himself out of his stupor, he apologized. "I'm ready to help with whatever you need."

Nick stood up and walked over to the bed. "Owen. So that place had to suck, huh?" The jackrabbit let out a chuckle at the fox's attitude but welcomed it. Judy on other paw looked shocked. "Look bud, we just need to find this guy and stop him before he can do this to another poor mammal. I know recalling this is hard, probably even hurts, but it is vital to everyone else's safety. Can you do that, pal?" The old rabbit nodded. "What can you tell us about this guy? Was he tall? Short? Did you notice any fur or coloring under the cloak? Predator? Prey? Anything at all is better than what we have right now."

Owen screwed up his face in concentration. Finally shaking his head, he grit his teeth. "No. Nothing. He was prepared. His robes were even scent-proof. And that mask…it was truly terrifying. I can't tell you his height either. I was drugged for the first couple of days and delirious during the last. It almost seemed like he would change shape. I'm sorry officers. I wish I had more to go on."

Disappointed, the two partners bade him goodnight and turned to leave.

"Wait!" They quickly turned back to see him sitting bolt upright. "He…he slipped up. At one point. When he was talking, I heard his jaws snap together. Like a canine." He stared pointedly at the fox who raised his eyebrows before acquiescing. Opening his jaws, he looked at the rabbit seeking confirmation. With a head nod, the Vulpine snapped his jaws together. The rabbit shuddered. "That's it. That's the sound."

_Finally_ , thought Judy. _Something we can use._ "Thank you for all your help, Mr. Dovers." He tiredly waved them off before settling back into the bed, grimacing from the pain.

As they walked back out of the room, Bogo was talking to the doctor. Seeing them come out, he turned back to the doctor. "Just make sure your employees keep this quiet. We don't need a city wide panic right now." The doctor nodded and hurried off. Bogo turned back to the duo. "He says Mr. Dovers will make a full recovery, minus the leg of course. Did you get anything from him that can help?"

"Well Chief, we know two things," Nick stated. "First, he uses a tranq gun to acquire his targets, and second, he slipped up. Owen over there heard the suspect snap his jaws while talking. A canine snap."

Bogo snorted. "Well, it's not much but at this point we could use anything. I have the doctor gathering his clothing so we can take it for evidence. Let's head back to the precinct."

As they headed out they passed a frantic older hare taking off for the room they had just left. "Now is when it gets to him," muttered the fox.

"Nick?" His partner looked up at him confused.

"The old guy," he nodded towards the room. "He puts up a brave face. The work of a stubborn soul unwilling to let his pain show unless in the presence of someone he trusts and loves deeply. Now that she's here, those walls are gonna crash down _hard_."

And indeed as Judy heard the hare reach her husband's room, she could clearly make out the sobs of two animals, punctuated by a few male shrieks.

Getting into the cruiser, Judy looked back at Nick who was deep in thought. She knew enough about most of his past to not pry into the parts he didn't want to talk about, but she had to know. "Is there anyone you ever let those walls down for in your life, Nick?"

He spoke in a hushed tone filled with sadness. "Maybe I do." Composing himself he forced a smirk back onto his face. "And maybe I don't Fluff. One day maybe I'll tell ya." Judy scoffed and punched him in the arm. Rubbing the sore spot, he caught Bogo's questioning gaze. Nick held fast, returning with a glare of his own adding in an almost imperceptible shake of his head. Bogo snorted before putting the vehicle in gear and heading out.

* * *

A figure made of living shadow entered the candlelit chamber and approached an oak round table in the center of the room. Taking a high-backed seat, they waited for several minutes before another door opened and three more robed figures entered. Once everyone was seated, they all lowered their hoods.

"Is everything going according to plan?"

"Yes. We have everything prepared for the next acquisition. It will be difficult."

"It's too risky. We should not be implementing the plan at this time."

"Alpha has decreed it, therefore we shall proceed."

"Alpha is not the one putting their life on the li-" The figure broke off as a clawed paw slammed onto the table.

"The matter is decided! We are not here to debate, only to confirm. Now. Do you have the next one ready?"

As one of the group clapped their hands, they heard the unmistakable crack of a whip followed by a howl of sheer pain. "I believe he is."

"Good. And this time, make sure the ZPD gets an invite."

* * *

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Short chapter for now. Wanted to keep the investigation going w/o it being overshadowed by the next event.
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing! Well actually I own quite a lot of things but nothing Zootopia related. Well, besides the dvd and a couple of stories revolving around the characters that I wrote about it. But Disney doesn't get to own the characters either cause last I heard owning sentient beings is called slavery and is frowned upon in most societies. Checkmate, Disney.

"NOTHING!" A tiny gray fist slammed onto the table. "Two days and we still have nothing!" Sweeping her arms across the table, Judy sent papers and files flying onto the floor. Her partner watched with a raised brow behind his aviators, mildly amused but also a little frightened.

"Carrots, you need to chill." Immediately he regretted saying anything as she turned and glared at him so strongly he was surprised he didn't shatter into a thousand fox pieces.

"Chill?" Her voice had an edge to it, making Nick wince. "You want me to chill? There is a _maniac_ out there _torturing_ people and you want me to CHILL?!" She began advancing on Nick, her tiny paws clenched at her sides.

"Carrots wait a minute. Hold on, Carrots. No. No! Judy don-AHH!" Nick yelled as his chair tipped backwards while trying to avoid his partner's malevolent approach. Laying sprawled on the floor, his leg tangled in the armrest, his glasses askew over his nose, he looked so pathetically comical that the little bunny officer started laughing, her earlier anger at her partner dissipating. A few officers who had turned towards the commotion merely shook their heads at the usual Hopps/Wilde antics.

"Nick, you are so pathetic." Judy held out her hand to the clumsy fox, helping him untangle himself. "Get up off your tail and help me pick up these papers."

"Why? You knocked em down." Nick grabbed his coffee for a good long slurp, a noise he knew aggravated the poor rabbit.

She raised her brow at that. "You want to end up back on the floor?"

"With you or without you?" Nick smirked and waggled his eyebrows as the bunny choked on her next words and blushed fiercely, the insides of her ears turning bright pink. Got you that time, Fluff.

"Depends on how fast you can pick up these papers." This time it was the fox's turn to choke on his next sip of coffee as Judy grinned widely.

_Dammit, what the hell did I teach this girl?_

_I don't know, but I like it._

_Shut up, other me._

_Oh c'mon, you know you like It too._

_Wouldn't you like to know._

_I'm you. I already know._

_Well…damn._

Thinking up something quick, he blurted out "Eager, little bunny?"

Judy rolled her eyes. "Not one of your better comebacks there, Slick."

"Hey now," Nick attempted to defend himself. "Can't always think up perfect lines on the spot after something like that. Sometimes it's hard."

"Oh is it now?" She gave him a slow smile and a wink, as he turned beet red, luckily most of it couldn't be seen beneath his fur.

Nick hastily tried to deflect the conversation off it's current course. "Uh, you uh, you said something about the case?"

Judy jumped a little, broken from her current thoughts. "Right. Case." She picked up the files she had scattered. "We've been searching through every database we can to link this guy to anything but the only thing we have is that it's a he, he uses tranq darts, and he may or may not be a canine based off of the testimony of the only witness who was also delirious at the time. I've been over the transcripts of the video 3 times now and I can't find anything that we missed. Either we are building a puzzle and all the pieces are upside-down or this guy is so good at hiding himself we can't find anything to work with." Judy slumped in her chair, feeling defeated.

Nick wheeled over to her and grabbed her paws. "Alright Carrots, let's eliminate the information that doesn't help us for now." Judy raised her head to look at her partner. She nodded as he got up and went over to the white board in their office. "Okay, first thing's first." He put a slash through 'Potentially a canine'.

"What are you doing?!" Judy was beside herself. "That's the only real lead we might have!"

Nick shook his head. "Carrots, do you know many different types of canines there are here?" Judy started to nod before cocking her head. She didn't know actually. It was never something she thought to look up. Seeing her shake her head instead, Nick continued. "Wolves, Foxes, Coyotes, Jackals, those are just four of the main population." he ticked them off one by one. "Then you get into all the sub-breeds. Red foxes, artic foxes, fennec foxe-"

"Okay, okay, I get it. Where are you going with this?"

"My point Carrots, is that even if this guy _did_ hear what he thought he did, we're left with a population of well over a hundred thousand suspects that range over 20 different sub-breeds. There are other animals that snap their jaws and sound canine even if they aren't directly in that category, for instance hyenas. We don't know height, we don't know weight, we don't even know if he's wearing clothes under that robe, ugh!" His face momentarily paled as Judy shot him a look. "Okay okay, bad timing. If we look at that clue, we're casting a net way too big for us to even focus on and it's gonna run us into the ground here. For now it will go on the back-burner. Same with the 'he'. Too many suspects."

Judy crossed her legs, her foot impatiently thumping. "Well what do you suggest we do then?"

"For right now, we should focus on the tranquilizer darts. We know from Owen that the darts are small, he indicated it was the length of his digit, so maybe an inch? And had blue fletchings. Now, tranqs aren't exactly uncommon, but something with those specs might be a smaller net we can wade with."

"Yes! Woo-hoo!" Judy jumped out of her seat. "Finally something we can try to work with! Nice thinking, Slick." She punched him in the arm before running out of the office and down the hall.

"You bunnies, always so cute," he mumbled.

"I heard that!"

Chuckling but in kind of a fearful way, he followed her out to the parking lot.

* * *

Chief Bogo sat in his office looking down at the nondescript piece of paper on his desk. He had been a little astonished when the doctor in Tundratown had handed him a sealed envelope, only being told the patient, Owen Dovers, had told the doctor to do nothing with the envelope except give it to the Chief of Police and that neither of the officers interviewing him could know about it. As adamant as the victim had been about the secrecy of the message, Bogo decided to run his own forensics evidence gathering. Unfortunately, after hours of testing and retesting, the two pieces of paper revealed nothing. Just two lines in flowing script and two pictures on either side that he had read over a hundred times the last two days.

**_One of your own will be next. You will have to choose which one._ **

* * *

**A/N: There's some light-hearted banter in this one because it is still partly a romance story, I just couldn't add that as a third category.**

**What do you think Bogo is going to have to do? Who are the two choices? Would you like to see me make Clawhauser allergic to gluten? Damn. That's cold even for _this_ story.**


	5. Chapter 5 - Dead ends = Dead spirits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Little more police side of this chapter before we dive into some horror.
> 
> Disclaimer: DO I own Zootopia? No, no I do not. Not for lack of trying though (grabs ass cheek where Disney guard stabbed with bayonet).

Nick dropped another cup of coffee onto Judy's desk. "One double strength Officer Hopps special. Java with 2 creams and 2 sugars."

Wiping the exhaustion from her eyes, Judy gave him a half-hearted smile. "Thanks Nick." Throwing back a large gulp, she grimaced at the bitterness of the drink. She had never really liked coffee but knew she needed it to get through the day. The idea that all cops loved coffee was absurd. What they really loved was caffeine. Coffee was just an easily obtainable supply. "I'm about ready to keel over. How many specialty outfitters did we interview today?"

Nick scanned his notes, "About 25. Although the only one that gave us any decent intel was that badger in the Rainforest district. We know that the darts are buyable but only in small quantities which means they'll likely need to resupply soon, and that the darts are meant for short range use. Barely 30 feet. After that the accuracy is practically nil."

"Well where do you think they would buy-" Judy broke off as there was a loud commotion in the lobby. Running out of their office, they saw Bogo shouting for everyone to be quiet.

"We have a break." Everyone looked on eagerly. "It appears we have found the two other victims of this madman. We didn't know it until now but two similar cases of victims over the past two weeks show the same ligature marks on the wrists and ankles. They weren't linked until now because we didn't have a video to go by."

"Can we interview them, sir?" Piped Fangmeyer, eager for a chance to get in the fight.

Bogo's gaze hardened before glancing down at the floor. "One of them is in a coma. The other was DOA."

The room quieted instantly. "What happened, Chief?" Bogo turned his eyes on Grizzoli.

"Last week a young female lynx was found unconscious tied to a tree in the Rainforest district central park. Her injuries were severe and the trauma to her skull was intense enough that they needed to put her in a medically induced coma so they could relieve the swelling in her brain. She still hasn't woken up." Bogo paused. "They also found that the suspect had…" he shuddered. "Forcefully ripped her whiskers out of her and the area cauterized to prevent them from ever growing back."

The station exploded in anger while a female cheetah in the back of the room hurled all over the floor. Judy blanched as Nick let out a stream of curses behind her. She looked back at him. "Will she be alright?"

Nick glanced down at her. "Leaping, running, walking, hell even sensing where she is in the dark will be almost impossible. If she wakes up, she'll probably wish she hadn't." Judy was shocked. She knew they were important to the big cats but she didn't realize they were crucial to their ability to even _live_.

"What about the other victim?" yelled Delgato.

"Middle-aged ram. Apparently he 'impressed' the viewers because he was strangled and left on the steps of City Hall in Sahara Square. Since there were no defensive wounds or significant bruising around the neck, coroner thinks he was put under before being killed, going along with the delusional 'code' this killer is playing at. Fangmeyer, Delgato, I want you to go to Sahara Square and work with their department on the ram. Find out what you can and bring everything back here. I want our coroner to do an autopsy as well." The two cats saluted and headed for the parking garage. "Francine, take Meyerson-" gesturing at the cheetah still being sick on the floor, "-and head to the Rainforest district. She needs to get her feet wet and I want a sympathetic ear near the lynx if she wakes up." Francine nodded and helped the young officer to her feet.

The rest of you," bellowed Bogo. "I don't care If you hear a rumor about a blind goat seeing the van this guy might have been driving, everything is going under a microscope. We need to find this guy NOW! Dismissed!"

Judy walked back to their office, a little unsteady on her feet. This case was troubling her. She knew mammals were capable of many bad things, the whole Nighthowler case could attest to that, but this was just…barbaric! The thought of that poor girl having such an awful act done to her. She stumbled against the wall, feeling her knees becoming very weak. In a flash Nick was right there beside her, grabbing her shoulders to keep her from hitting the floor. "Here we go, Fluff. Two steps. There ya go. Now turn right. Couple more….Annnnd there's your chair."

"Thanks Nick," she smiled weakly.

"Case hittin' ya kinda hard, huh Carrots?"

She slumped into the chair, her ears drooping behind her back. "I just can't believe there are mammals that could do this sort of thing. It's senseless violence."

Nick shrugged. "Not everyone needs rational thought to do something horrible. Usually doing something horrible means you were never rational to begin with. That's why we exist, isn't it? C'mon bunny cop, we got a job to do."

Judy raised a brow. "Bunny cop? Isn't that what Finnick calls me?"

"Eh," Nick shrugged. "I'm trying it out."

* * *

Entering the Sahara precinct, officers Fangmeyer and Delgato were a little surprised that the building's interior was fairly identical to Precinct One. Most districts had their own special designs so it was a welcome sight to be (mostly) at home. Half expecting to see a Clawhauser double, they walked up to the front desk and asked to see the assistant chief, a camel named Frank Gozzen. Being informed he was already waiting for them in the ME's office, they headed down the corridor to the morgue.

"Welcome to our humble establishment." The grizzled camel held out his pad. Shaking it, Fangmeyer and Delgato returned the polite formalities. "Now, I expect you're hear about our ram case."

Delgato shot Fangmeyer a glance before responding, "We believe he's connected to a much bigger case involving mammal torture and murder by a sociopath."

Gozzen raised his eyebrows at that. _Bogo could've told me that over the phone._ Frank hated to be surprised when it came to police work. Zero secrets was his position. Secrets get mammals killed. "Well, we've hit every dead end on this case so if you want to take him back with you you're more than welcome." Both officers looked a bit surprised by the laid back attitude. "Hey believe me, just like all of you I don't like giving up a case, but if you're more likely to catch this bastard then I'm gonna do what's best for the victim."

"We'll need the case files, any forensic evidence, and his body. Bogo wants P1 to do a second autopsy."

Gozzen nodded. "You got it. How's the case going anyway?"

Delgato and Fangmeyer looked at each other before turning back. "Badly."

* * *

Across the districts, Francine would have agreed with them. The file told her nothing that they didn't already know. And with the girl still being comatose, the odds on getting any usable information was zilch. Francine watched Meyerson carefully. As a rookie, Meyerson was unusually full of pep. Francine mused on how the cheetah and a certain rabbit were a lot alike in that regard. However, where Judy tended to adapt quickly to new challenges, Meyerson was quickly becoming a liability. After seeing the girl in the hospital, Meyerson had said few words, barely focusing on her assignment of getting the case files together.

As Meyerson headed to the car with the case files, Francine pulled out her cell phone. Quickly keying in a number, she waited only seconds for the call to connect. "Yeah Chief? We may have a problem..."

* * *

Back at Precinct One, the morale was hitting an all-time low. Nick and Judy's lead on the tranq darts had hit another dead end. Too many stores sold the darts or sold parts to design your own. Nick was almost dead on his feet. They had spent the last 16 hours on the job with few breaks. Trying to keep himself from nodding off, he looked over at Judy and saw she was already asleep, her nose resting on her keyboard. Nick decided she looked too adorable to wake up but knew she really needed to be at home in bed if she was going to be any use tomorrow. Standing, he shook her shoulder. "Wake up, Carrots. Time to go home."

She groaned before opening her violet eyes. "You're a cruel mammal, Nicholas Wilde." She yawned and stretched her arms up, cracking her neck. "Do I ever wake you up rudely?"

"Every morning," he smirked.

Judy paused. "Okay fair enough."

"Alright, let's get outta here. We need to be fresh for tomorrow."

"Okay, let me just shut down my…com-…" she trailed off. Nick looked over at her, confused. "Nick. Did you put this on my computer?"

"What? Nick walked around to see her screen. It was all static before being overlaid with bright red lettering. "'Welcome ZPD. You have been invited.' What do think that means?"

They didn't have to wait long before the screen cleared and they saw the walls of a familiar dungeon.


	6. Chapter 6 - Madness of a monstrosity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope this story is living up to your expectations. Remember, reviews are appreciated. I want this story to be good for the readers. It's not just for me writing it.
> 
> Disclaimer: I contacted Disney in order to purchase Zootopia. Unfortunately I sent it to Craig Disney by mistake, who is in fact a golden retriever in western Montana.

Bogo was ready to call it a day. He needed some rest, he needed to be home with his wife. After everything going on the past few days he was more exhausted than he could ever remember and being dead tired was not going to help his officers solve this case. Even though they were all good officers that could handle themselves just fine, he knew they all looked to him for his leadership. "It's something that comes with the job, Bogo. They will look to you because in their eyes you are infallible." He remembered the last chief giving him that bit of prophetic knowledge on his way out the door after his retirement party. _Blasted tiger. Way to make me expect too much of myself for the last 15 years_. He sighed as he threw some case files into his briefcase and began to grab his jacket before his computer monitor came to life. Frowning, he turned and looked at the screen which showed a wall of static before words started forming on the screen in blood red letters. 'Welcome ZPD. You have been invited.' _Oh this can't be good._ And he was right, as the picture cleared away to show an all too familiar dungeon wall. _Oh no no no no no._

"Chief!" The door to his office burst open as a distraught gray bunny bounded in followed closely by a slightly out of breath red fox. "Our computer! The suspect! He-"

"Started streaming his next torture to your computer," Bogo finished for her.

Judy's eyes widened. "H-how did you know that, sir?" Bogo turned his monitor around. "Oh god. Is it…is it everywhere in the building?"

Bogo was about to answer when Clawhauser came on over the intercom. "Chief Bogo! We have an emergency! The monitors. It's everywhere!" Bogo immediately jumped up and stomped outside to the railing over looking the lobby.

"Alright listen up! This bastard is getting cocky. That means he might slip up so we can catch him. I want the tech department to start running any traces you can find on this signal. He's doing something big by accessing every server computer at once and that's gotta get us something. Officers. I'm about to order you to do something horrible but this may be our only shot. You need to watch this spectacle as it is happening. We need to catch something on this guy and fast. _Nothing_ is irrelevant. _Everything_ gets recorded. You puke? You forget it and move forward. Nobody is allowed to slack on this. Let's move it, officers!" There was a mad scramble as everyone moved for their offices, set to take notes on everything going on. _I wish I knew enough to try and save this mammal, but sometimes sacrifices are inevitable._ Once again he fingered the slip of paper that son of a bitch had sent him. 'Choose' it said. He sighed. _I just hope I'm making the right choice._

Back in their office, Judy and Nick sat side-by-side keeping their eyes on the screen. "You okay, Carrots?" Nick glanced over at her, his eyes full of concern.

Gathering herself together, Judy turned to face him. "Yeah, I'm okay Nick. I-…this is going to be hard to do." Nick nodded and looked back at the screen. A few seconds of silence passed before Nick let out a slow breath.

"Judy, I'll be right here if you need me. No matter what," he told her, reaching down and grabbing her paw.

A tingle ran from her paw up through her arm until it sat in her chest, making her feel warm. She felt a slight shiver run down her back as her ears twitched. Grateful they had remained standing, she forced herself to give Nick a small smile before trying to focus back on the screen. It was several seconds before she realized she was still holding his paw, but yet she didn't want to let it go. She had been having moments like this for months. She knew what was happening, but she just couldn't bring herself to admit it.

_He cares for you, that much is obvious._

_He always has. That's because we're such good friends. And partners. Cop partners develop a close bond. It happens when you're trusting someone with your life._

_Yeah, but cop partners don't suddenly feel butterflies whenever a certain someone brushes their paw against theirs. Or bumps into them in the hall. Or spend night after night watching bad movies and eating takeout in each others apartments. Just admit it. You'll feel better._

_…I don't want to._

_You know you will have to at some point._

_Okay okay. But not now. For now it's_ Officer _Hopps that's needed._

Broken from her thoughts, she saw the camera rotate as the next victim came into view.

* * *

Tied to a wooden slab, the white wolf was tilted so the head was below his knees. Coming clearer into focus, they saw his head was submerged in a tub full of water, his arms and legs thrashing about as much as they could while restrained. A figure in a black robe watched it all without moving until the victim's paws began to twitch as the muscles in his arms started to fade. Slowly raising the table up, the black-robed figure's mask betrayed no emotion to the plight of the now sputtering wolf. The torturer turned to the camera. "Tonight we welcome the Zootopia Police Department to the viewing. My message will encompass even the shining beacon of light that is the enforcer of laws in our fair city. A city overrun with lies. A city that denies mammals the right to be their true selves. Timid. Tame. Pale shadows of their former glory. Does this mammal behind me have the strength to be more than society has tried to make him into, or will he be another weak-willed slave to the silent oppressors."

Slowly moving around the table, the figure removed a small metal rod, tipped at both ends with two sharp prongs. Coming up behind the exhausted wolf, he strapped the rod under the throat of the wolf, placing the other tongs at his chest. Aware of a sudden pressure on his throat, the wolf struggled to look down only to feel the prongs shove into his skin, his white fur suddenly being stained with small droplets of blood. Letting out a shrill yip, the wolf immediately raised his head. His eyes wide, he realized he would need to be completely immobile during everything or he risked skewering himself.

The cruelty did not end there as the black robed mammal Moved to the side of the table and slowly turned a crank, causing a row of sharp metal spikes to press up against the back of the wolf. Whimpering, the victim arched his back up, wincing as the prongs started piercing his chest. He lowered himself enough to let the prongs and spikes cause pain but not pierce his skin. Holding this pose would be impossible for long. His body was already beginning to shake from the pain and exhaustion. His eyes shifted back and forth, clearly looking for a way out. "Why are you doing this?" he roared.

Cocking his head, the despicable beast answered in a flat tone. "The why does not matter. Only that I am." He turned the crank one more turn, sending the metal spikes into the wolf's back, sending a trickle of blood sliding down the spikes. The wolf grunted from the additional pressure and pain.

* * *

Judy felt Nick tense beside her, his face a mixture of shock and rage. She reached over and grabbed his paw, holding it in hers. He gave a start and looked down at their clasped paws interlocking with each other. He glanced at her as she softly smiled. "You may be here for me but it goes both ways, Nick. Okay? We need to focus on what we can see and if we get too upset we won't be able to focus. We can't let this guy win." Nick nodded but turned back to the screen, his features a little calmer but she saw some confusion on his face as well. Judy resumed watching the screen although something was nagging at the back of her mind. The torturer said something that resonated with her, a slip-up maybe? But all of the disturbing images had driven it from her mind. She would need to go back once the broadcast was over.

* * *

The _creature_ (for Judy could no longer see this beast as a mammal any longer) had moved back to the wolf's head. Reaching under the headrest, he slowly moved a black strap up over one side. The wolf took the opportunity to try and bite his captor only to have the prongs shove into his jaw, eliciting a shriek from the bound animal. The figure never hesitated as he brought the restraint up and over the wolf's throat, making sure the strap went below the prongs, affixing it to the other side. The wolf was beginning to feel true fear as the masked mammal seemed to gaze down at him. Reaching under the table, his jailer began turning a handle, the strap pressing down on the wolf's throat, slowly crushing his wind-pipe. The lack of oxygen caused a panic to set in. Stopping shy of completely cutting off the oxygen, the wolf was breathing harshly, not gaining enough oxygen to reduce the panic settling into his chest. Before he could process what was happening, the table was once again tilted downwards, submerging his head into the tub of now boiling water. Unable to scream, unable to move his head without spearing himself, the wolf felt his skin burning as he couldn't breathe, knowing if he did he would likely burn the inside of his airways and he would die. His body already deprived of oxygen, his lungs burned with desperation. Just before he lost the battle with his instincts, he felt the table drag his head out of the water and the strap loosen allowing him to gasp for air. He had never felt a more beautiful thing as he drew breath after breath of cool air. His face and ears burned from the heated water, his fur now soaking wet and dripping into his sore eyes, his reprieve was short lived as the strap was tightened again and he felt himself tipping backward into the water once more.

* * *

Nick was beside himself in the office. A rage like he had never felt was burning inside of him. He could feel his paws flexing, his claws biting into his pads whenever he clenched them. His arms trembled as his chest tightened, his breathing coming in ragged gasps. He was consumed with his desire to rip into this madman. To cleave flesh from bone. To do some maiming of his own to this bastard. His hackles started to rise and a snarl ripped from his throat. He knew he must look quite the sight and he decided he should leave the office before Judy became scared of him. Before he could jump down, he felt a small paw grab his arm. "Please. Please don't go." He looked down to see her pressing her face into his side. "I c-can't watch this alone." His anger was still very much in full force but his partner needed him and he wouldn't abandon her now.

"Don't worry, Carrots. I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

After being removed from the boiling water for the third time, the strap was removed. Once again he drew in welcomed breaths of cool air, grateful for the respite even with knowing where he was and what was happening. Until he felt the press or what felt like nails being applied to his chest. Raising his head as much as he could without injuring himself, he saw what looked like a comb in the hands of his captor. He was confused for a moment until he felt the sharp ends of the _comb_ dig into his skin and peel the flesh away in long strips, his bloody fur still stuck to each tip. The white fur was stained along his chest as blood pooled from the wounds. He cried out as he felt another pass of the accursed device tearing his skin from his body. He threw back his head and howled in agony.

* * *

Nick and Judy heard an officer in the next cubicle retch into his trash can as they faintly heard Wolford join the victim in howling across the hall. Nick's ear twitched as he heard something on the screen but with the confusing sounds from the screen and his surroundings he couldn't be sure he was hearing things properly. He would need to rewatch the broadcast later.

* * *

The figure seemed to pause for a moment during the howling but immediately began again. Multiple gashes now covered the wolf's chest causing intense pain. The thrashing to get away from that pain had resulted in the wolf stabbing himself multiple times with the prongs in his throat and the spikes reaching up into his back. The blood was now flowing freely. In order to prevent his victim from bleeding out, the torturer moved beyond camera range, returning with a a red-hot poker. Laying the glowing metal against the wolf's skin, he placed the steel against the wounds in his chest. The wolf howled again, smelling the burning flesh, feeling the searing heat. The wounds stopped bleeding robbing the wolf of his chance to slip away from this torture.

The black robes disappeared beyond the camera again only to reappear with a machine he was rolling towards the front paws of the wolf. Setting it in place, he grabbed the wolf's wrist and dragged it into the machine where the digits were secured under metal clamps, a pair of pincers applied to each claw. The victim could feel the machine being hooked up to him, unsure of what this new device could be. He didn't have to wait long as the black beast flicked the machine to life. The first pincer tightened down on the claw and began slowly dragging it outward. The wolf's eyes flashed with terror as he realized what was happening. The agonizingly slow machine steadily pulled the claw further and further out, sending shooting pains up the wolf's arm. He could feel the roots being stretched, tearing away from his paw. The pain was extreme and it seemed unending. Reaching the breaking point, the claw was ripped out of the paw, spilling blood and causing intense agony to the wolf. He secretly was thrilled the worst was over before his breath caught in his throat. He had so many more claws…

For more than 2 hours, the wolf was subjected to blades and beatings. He was drowned again and again in boiling water. His paws now ending in crusted blood rather than his claws. His throat and chest were soaked in his own blood as he had been unable to prevent himself from moving. The spikes in his back were randomly raised and lowered so he could never find a position he could hold for long.

At the end, he was silently begging for mercy, but he refused to give the monster the satisfaction. Turning to the monitor, the figure spoke to the audience. "This mammal has shown some spirit. But what say you? Merciful," He pressed a steel tipped bolt gun to the wolf's head. "Or merciless?" He laid a blowtorch against the base of his tail. The wolf began to panic anew. The police officers saw an option to choose flash on their screen. None of them were willing to make a choice except Wolfordwho secretly voted for a merciful ending for his fellow canine. After a few seconds his captor turned to him. "You have impressed them. Your ending here will be merciful. He pressed the gun to the top his head. "Do you have anything you wish to say?"

"Go to-"BANG! The wolf's skull caved in as the steel bolt penetrated through the top and out the bottom of his head, causing blood to spray from the exit wound, the wolf's head now falling to the side, the spark of life gone from his eyes. Looking up into the camera, the masked figure spoke. "Thank you for joining us, officers. We'll be seeing you again soon."


	7. Chapter 7 -Soft musings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Throwing in a bit of drama after that dark affair last chapter. So I'm adding additional genres to the story, so what, wanna fight about it?
> 
> Let me know how you're enjoying the story and I'm always open to suggestions/criticisms on how to make it better.
> 
> Disclaimer: I got a letter from Disney! What does 'Cease and desist' mean? Also I heard back from Craig! His flea and tick treatment went great.

Silence. Pure, uninterrupted silence. A quietness that was broken only by the ragged breathing of mammals scattered around the building that may as well have been a graveyard for all the moving these animals were doing. A few sobs could be heard and more than a few trashcans being used by their owners as sound slowly began to creep it's way into the 1st Precinct of the ZPD. Every officer was stunned at what they had just witnessed. Disturbed by the horror that had transpired just moments ago. A mammal had been tortured, put through hell, and then murdered in front of their eyes as they sat, helpless to rescue him.

More than a few tears were shed for the fallen mammal they had failed to save, particularly a coal-colored wolf who stared at the now darkened computer screen in shock. None however, cried harder than ZPD's finest, Judy Hopps. The small gray bunny was sobbing uncontrollably, her face pressed deep into her fox partner's side. Her tears pooled on his shirt causing a wet spot to grow rapidly, but Nick showed no intention of moving away. He had his arms around his friend, pulling her ever tighter to him as he stroked her ears, whispering comforting words to her.

A few co-workers strayed towards their office to check on the two mammals as they had not been seen out in the lobby for quite a long time but upon seeing the distraught bunny and the fox consoling her wisely decided to leave them be. After several minutes which seemed like hours, the small bunny had started to calm down. A few hiccups would escape her every so often and she would gasp while trying to get her breathing under control. Still pressed to his side, she whispered low enough for him to hear, "Thank you, Nick." Leaning down, Nick kissed her between her ears. She started and looked up at him, her violet eyes still red from crying, meeting his emerald gaze that conveyed to her concern, compassion, and maybe even…love? _No, that was a fool's hope,_ she thought as she began to succumb to her exhaustion.

Feeling her body slump forward, Nick caught her in his arms. Afraid she had passed out he was relieved to hear deep breathing from the now sleeping bunny he was holding. Standing, he cradled her to his chest as he walked out of the office. Moving down the hall to the lobby, he passed a few officers who seemed a bit shocked at first at the sight of the fox carrying his sleeping partner but soon dismissed it as they were always rather more intimate than most partners would be, often taking care of each other when sick or injured.

As he entered the lobby, Nick came across Chief Bogo talking to Clawhauser at the front desk. At the sight of them Chief Bogo's eyes narrowed. Clawhauser's eyes on the other hand became as round as saucers . As he opened his mouth to start screaming, Nick hurriedly shook his head trying to keep Ben from waking her. Clamping his muzzle shut, Clawhauser still looked giddy but also concerned at the sight of his friend hanging limply in her partner's arms. "Chief, I'm taking Carrots home for the night. After the overly long shift and with what just happened she's in no condition to stay here any longer."

Bogo snorted but knew he was right and he was impressed, as always, at the dedication he showed to his partner's well-being. He knew why Wilde was so devoted to Hopps, even if the red fox wouldn't admit it to himself, but it nevertheless surprised him every time. "Take the cruiser, get her home. I want you both in by no later than 10am. We still have a criminal to find." Nick nodded and headed for the parking bay.

Clawhauser watched them go, a small smile on his face. "Don't you think they would be wonderful together, Chief? A little more happiness in the world right now would certainly not hurt."

Bogo admitted he was right but, "Tonight is not the night for that, Ben. We have much more important things to deal with right now."

* * *

After placing his partner in the cruiser's passenger seat, he carefully buckled her in, taking great care not to wake her. Walking around the backside of the cruiser, he paused at the driver side door, lost in thought at the look Judy had given him when he kissed the top of her head. It was a look he had not seen before. Usually he was able to read her like a book but tonight… Shaking his head, he popped open the door and climbed in. _Probably just the stress from tonight._

He backed the cruiser out of their spot and left the garage, heading for Judy's apartment complex. He looked over at the sleeping bunny beside him and became lost in thought again.

_I still can't get that look in her eyes out of my head. It probably doesn't mean anything._

_What if it does?_

_It doesn't._

_How do you know if you don't ask her?_

_And if it's nothing then I risk losing what we have._

_But is what we have good enough anymore? It's been how long? A month? Six? A year? How long have you been in love with that poor bunny and you still haven't told her?_

_I'm not in love with her. I can't be. It's not allowed. I'm her friend. Her partner. I don't get to have anymore of her. I don't deserve her. She doesn't need someone as broken as me. She deserves so much better._

_Why can't we let her decide that? We don't know everything, no matter what we pretend._

Nick continued driving, his body on autopilot as his mind was consumed with the same conversation he had been having with himself for so many months now. Why was he unable to allow himself to think they could be something more? Why was he so quick to dismiss any desires he might have as if they were already beyond his reach? Was it self-pity? Self-destruction? Why can't _he_ deserve happiness too? What was so bad about _him_ , Nick WIlde, that even his own mind refused to let him believe he was worth a damn thing in this world.

He was jostled from his thoughts as they turned into the parking lot of Judy's apartment building. He found her designated spot and shut off the car. "Carrots, you're home." Getting no response, he shook her gently. "Carrots, wake up. It's time to go inside." Still no reaction. He sighed as he gave her a small smile. So much pep in the morning but lazy as a fox after sundown. He got out and walked around to her door. Lifting her out, he carried her into the building and began the slow climb up to her room.

Standing in front of the door was an odd sight as the fox tried to juggle the sleeping bunny while getting his keys out of his pocket without putting the mammal on the floor unceremoniously. Eventually, after several attempts he managed to get them out and he grabbed the spare key she had given him to unlock the door. They each had a spare key to each other's apartment in case they needed to stop by if one or the other was sick or perhaps pick up something they had forgotten on the way in to work. It had worked out rather well for them, although this would be the first time the keys were used so early in the morning, especially while one of them was unconscious.

Carrying her to her small bed, Nick slowly laid her down. Pulling the covers up over her still form, he laid a kiss on her forehead and began to turn away when he felt a paw grab hold of his arm. "Don't go, Nick. " Her arm was trembling. "Stay. Stay with me. Please." Nick hesitated. He knew that she was only looking for a bit of comfort from a friend but he still had to fight down the glimmer of hope that had arisen in his heart.

"Don't worry, Carrots," He climbed into bed with her, gathering her in his arms as she dug her paws into his shirt, drawing him in closer. "I'm right here for you." She smiled softly. Her breathing became slow as she quickly drifted off to sleep. He kissed her head before closing his eyes.

"I'll always be here, Judy."

* * *

Bogo was finishing the report at his desk on the latest broadcast they had seen. It was one of the most gruesome things he had ever witnessed and he had a feeling if they didn't catch this guy soon it was only going to get worse. So far none of the media seemed to have gotten wind of this or they would have a full blown panic in the streets. He was so tired that he had some difficulty putting the pen to paper. He was just adding an addendum to the report when there was a knock. "Come in," he snorted.

Officer Delgato entered. "Sir, I just need a moment." Bogo waived him forward. "Sir, we were running some comparisons between the two videos and we found what may be a discrepancy." Bogo's eyebrows raised a fraction.

"How so?"

"Well sir, the suspect in each video may not be the same person."

Bogo's eyes shot open, the earlier feeling of exhaustion gone. "What do you mean not the same person?"

"Well, his height and weight, while we're still guessing on those, is drastically different in the two vids. The first one shows a small-class mammal, potentially a canine predator based on the key witness. Maybe a fox. This one would easily be considered middle-tier. I would say either a small wolf or puma if we are still going based off a predator."

"Son of a bitch. You mean there's _two_ of these guys?!" Bogo slammed his hoof on the table, enraged.

Delgato winced but didn't fall back to his credit. "We're still not sure, sir. But it's looking like there may be at least two assailants."

Bogo remained silent for several seconds. "Thank you Delgato. Dismissed." The lion quickly walks out. Bogo turns and pulls a bottle of scotch and a tumbler from the bottom drawer of his desk. Hr downs several glasses while he looks at the slip of paper again. A paper that has haunted him for a week. _God help me if this goes south._ Draining another glass, he closed down his office and headed home.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Now it's gettin gooood. Well, I hope it is for you guys. Remember, I welcome all criticism and praises (especially praises) so review, PM, pigeon carrier, whatever. All of it works for me.
> 
> Disclaimer: So I bribed Genie to let me wish for ownership of Zootopia. Apparently Disney added extra rules. 137 of em. Bureaucracy, man.

Light filtered into the tiny apartment, casting it's rays over the couple in the bed. To an outsider, it would have been quite a sight seeing a melding of gray and red fur snuggled together. The fox's arm was wrapped around the waist of the slim bunny, drawing her in closer to his chest which she was currently burrowed into, her claws grasping at his fur, her twitching nose buried in his strong musky scent.

Unknown to both the sleeping fox and rabbit, they each were sighing contentedly, subconsciously enjoying the others close proximity. After some time the sun's rays had shifted onto the face of the fox causing him to wake up and shade his eyes. _Why did I not close my blinds? I never leave them open. It's like I'm inviting pai-_ … He broke off as his eyes adjusted and saw quite a different location than his modest apartment. He noticed a familiar table in the corner at the same time as he became aware of a soft form curled up against him. Slowly realizing he was in Judy's apartment, his mind clicked and put two and two together. Turning his gaze downward, he saw his bunny partner grasping at his fur, drawing herself into his chest, almost in desperation to get closer. His first thought was to jump out of the bed, his panic setting in that if she woke up now she wouldn't understand and it could damage their friendship because of it. Another, _stronger_ , part of him overrode that 'flee' response and stayed where he was, enjoying the feeling of the bunny he loved finally being so close to him.

He had woken from a dream to find another had already come true, even if it was only for a moment. But he would take that moment and burn it deep into his being so that he would always remember it. Eventually he would have to move before she woke up. Gritting his teeth at the thought of breaking the contact, he slowly started moving his arm away only to have a gray paw reach up and drag it back down so she could nuzzle it. He resigned himself to his fate and waited until he could find another opportunity to pull away.

Judy was enjoying a wonderful dream. It was one she had experienced before but the setting was never the same. Nick would treat her to a romantic dinner, always being the perfect gentlemammal. Some times it was a simple date, sometimes an anniversary, others it was their wedding night. They always came during a really stressful day, almost as if her dreams could sense that she needed the comfort that she was denying herself in the waking world. _Denying for a good reason_ , she would always say.

_But you love him._

_Of course I do. I just…can't risk that he may not feel the same. I couldn't lose my best friend just because my feelings were different than his._

_Why can't you take a chance? Give in to your feelings for once. You're always impulsive on the job, when dealing with dangerous criminals, when doing anything and everything, but you are so guarded with your fox-_

_He's not MY fox._

_Don't lie to yourself. It doesn't work. You may not be in an official relationship but he's been your fox for so long that anyone else can't match up._

At that Judy would always balk, sinking deep into her thoughts on why she was denying herself what she wanted. Was the risk really too much? Whatever the reason, she was always willing to let her dreams take her into sheer bliss, away from the real world responsibilities her declaration of love might cause.

Last night her dream had been magnificent. A romantic dinner with her fox, the entire night perfect, followed by hours of lovemaking. Her joy was so strong she couldn't be woken from her slumber for fear she would lose the memories forever. But nature would not be denied as the sun's rays had shifted to wake her up as well. Her eyes fluttered as she stretched. Feeling a warm body next to hers, she opened her eyes to see russet colored fur mixed with white beneath her paws. A musky scent filled her nose as she became aware she was pressed into the chest of another mammal. The scent was very familiar. _Nick_ , she thought happily. Still half-asleep she was under the impression she had not truly awakened and that being snuggled up against her fox was merely a continuation of her dream. Reaching up, she pressed her lips to the underside of his muzzle and kissed him before burying her face into the fur of his neck. "Morning sweetie."

At the feel of the kiss Nick had stiffened, his whole body made of stone. He was unsure what he should do. She obviously was not fully awake otherwise she never would have done that. _What do I do?_

_Something! You do something!_

_Should I try to escape?_

_That's a horrible idea._

_She's going to be so upset with me._

_You idiot. She kissed you!_

_But she was sleeping._

_And if she was dreaming, and she kissed you, then that means…_

_That means…that means what?_

_You're fucking hopeless. It means she was dreaming about you romantically!_

Nick gave a start at that, pondering deeply, at the same time Judy felt him become very rigid and then jerk partially away. _That's never happened in these dreams before. Although I've never been aware of my dreams so much before either. Oh god. Does that mean…_

She opened her eyes to see herself shoved into Nick's body so fully that their fur was mixed together. "Eeep!" she cried out as she flung herself back further from the fox. She fell into the space between the bed and the wall, and as such missed the flash of hurt that crossed the fox's face. He quickly moved off the bed as she struggled to free herself from her sheets. After finally standing she yelled at the dejected fox. "What were you doing in my bed?!"

Now Nick was confused. "Y-you asked me to stay with you. You had me lay down and cuddle you after what happened last night. You…don't remember?" His fear of their friendship being damaged was increasing.

"The last thing I remember was being at the station after that," she shuddered violently. " _horrid_ event…"

"I'm sorry Carrots. I thought you would have remembered, otherwise I would have tried to slip out." His smirk automatically came up as he added, "I gotta say Fluff, that's a really nice way to wake up. Probably my favorite. 10/10 would do again." He immediately regretted it as she turned and glared at him so strongly he was afraid he would burst into flame. If looks could kill my head would be rolling on the floor.

"We'll talk about this later. We need to go to work. Now."

"Bogo actually gave us until ten." Nick rubbed the back of his neck, the awkwardness rising.

"Then we'll just be early. Our uniforms may be a bit wrinkled but they'll be fine. Move it, fox." Nick exited the apartment as Judy followed close behind. Turning to lock the door, she missed Nick reaching up and gently touching the spot where she had kissed him. Her face turned away, he missed the flashes of happiness and confusion that swept over her face. They walked down the hallway together, neither saying a word.

* * *

_You need to tell her._

_Fuck off. This morning ruined everything. She won't even look at me._

_That's cause you won't talk to her. Just tell her how you feel_

_And destroy our entire friendship? You saw how it was when she found me there even after it was_ her _who suggested it._

_But she kissed_ you _._

_Did she? What if that was meant for someone else in her dream? We don't know it was me. Her reaction this morning pretty much disproves the idea that it was._

_..._

_That's what I thought._

On the other side of the cruiser, a similar battle was raging inside of Judy.

_This would be the perfect time._

_I'm not telling him I love him._

_Why not? He wants to hear it from you, you can tell he does._

_No way. You saw how freaked out he was this morning. Ruining our friendship is the worst thing we could do right now._

Pulling up to the precinct, Judy had barely parked the cruiser before Nick had hopped out and was heading into the building. She was shocked at how quickly he had found a way to avoid her and it hurt to be brushed off so easily. But she was at work now. Her professionalism was what mattered to her. She was a cop, a damned good one, and no confusion about her personal life was going to interfere with her duties.

Following Nick's trail into the precinct, she passed by Clawhauser's desk who looked a bit surprised to see her there so early. "I thought you and Nick were off until 10? I just saw him come through here. He looked miserable. Not enough sleep?"

Judy paused. _Miserable?_ Shaking it off, she stored that for their 'chat' later. "Important case, Ben. Remember? We need to end this soon." Ben paled at the mention of the case. He hadn't been able to sleep much at all and he also had come in very early to escape the nightmares.

"Right, right. Well everyone is in for early bullpen. If you head over you can get the recent updates on it."

"Thanks Ben. I'll see you later. Maybe we can get lunch?" Ben beamed and nodded a bit happier.

The bullpen this morning was rather subdued, the horror everyone had witnessed last night fresh in their memories. Very little conversation was taking place, the relatively few whispers were about theories on the suspect. Officer Hopps entered to the room to see her partner already seated in their usual chair up front. For a moment her resolve to put everything aside until off the clock wavered. She felt a strong desire to talk to her friend, a need to clear the air. To find out what was changing between them. And then the moment passed as she remembered his attitude this morning. How nonchalant he had been towards her. How he chose to joke during a very confusing time rather than just talk. She had a job to do and she was going to do it.

Crouching low, she sprang up to the chair and clambered onto the overly large furniture piece. Sitting close to her partner felt right like it always did, but now there was a touch of hesitation as the two mammals seemed concerned to even whisper to each other. Several minutes passed before Nick had gathered the courage to speak. "Carrots, I-"

"Not now, Nick. We're at work. We can talk about this later."

"I don't think I can wait until later. Can I just explain what happened?"

"I don't need an explanation. I'm rather observant if you've forgotten. I remember everything. I know exactly what happened."

"Bu-"

"Nick, shut it. If you can't be quiet until the briefing is over then I'll find another place to sit. Get your head in the game or I'll request a temporary partner change for today."

Nick's eyes went wide as he could tell she was dead serious. He hung his head, his eyes beginning to water slightly before he clamped down hard on his feelings. _Never let them see that they get to you. What a load of horseshit._

His thoughts were interrupted as Chief Bogo entered the room. He seemed as put-out as the rest of the room. His normally gruff self was still in place, but upon closer inspection you could see the bags under his eyes as he hadn't slept well last night if at all. Slamming down a stack of papers on his podium, he held up the early edition of today's paper. "We have a problem."

A picture of a wolf in terrible agony stood out on the front page.

_**'Beast' of Zootopia maims and murders citizens: ZPD baffled** _


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: And cue the setup to my biggest dread of all in his story. The next couple of chapters will push everyone, including me as a writer and fan of the movie, to the edge of tolerance. Yay! Character growth!
> 
> Reviews and criticisms are greatly appreciated so keep em coming! Destroy my self-esteem and deflate my oversized ego.
> 
> Disclaimer: Tried to get into Disney from the ground up. Schmooze my way to the top so I could steal ownership of Zootopia. Spent 3 months. Made Employee of the Month twice and met a lovely receptionist name Doreen who gave me a delicious recipe for blueberry crumble. Still a win.

Four robed figures took their places at an oval table that black as obsidian and smooth as glass. Ornate high-backed chairs were spaced evenly along the curves allowing for no false sense of hierarchy. No mammal was seen as greater than another and no mammal held any presumptions of such. Their sizes were varied, their colors differing. But at this table there were no lines of predator or prey. Male or female. Species mattered not, wealth was irrelevant, the outside world mattered nothing. The only item worthy of recognition was the devotion to the cause. The cause of freeing the strong from the control of the weak. To save the few from the many.

One mammal stood and addressed the gathering. "Alpha has decreed we will begin Phase Two. Does the council vote consensus?" A chorus of 'Aye's' arose from the assembled members. Then let us begin."

* * *

"We have a problem"

The room looked on in shock at the front page of the paper Bogo was holding. They recognized the image as that of the wolf they watched die last night.

"After 3 episodes before this, the media had no knowledge of these events. That has obviously changed. Now, I don't think anyone here would have sent a screenshot of the broadcast, nor do I think the people paying for the right to view would do so otherwise risk exposure. So the only conclusion left is the torturer themself sent the image out to try and start a panic, which they've succeeded in doing. The early paper hit the stands less than an hour ago and already the mayor's office and the ZPD have received dozens of calls from reporters demanding answers along with the occasional crackpot giving us misleading info." Bogo paused before glancing over at Officer Delgato. "We may have something to go on. Delgato has done some video comparison of the last two broadcasts and has determined there may be a second suspect involved. Now, it's not conclusive y-"

"I can prove it!" yelled out Officer's Hopps and Wilde simultaneously. The room quieted at the rather odd coincidence and even Bogo raised his brow slightly. Judy flushed a little as she glanced at her partner, expecting to see a smirk directed at her. Instead she was troubled that he was not looking her way at all, his stoic face focused solely on the Chief.

"Explain," Bogo grunted.

"Well Chief," Judy paused looking over at Nick before continuing. "I heard something in the broadcast last night that I think will prove Officer Delgato's theory. I just need a couple moments to set up the computer?" She looked to Bogo for approval before he snorted and nodded. After attaching the bullpen laptop to the overhead display, Judy quickly keyed last night's horror show to the beginning. "Right here where he says 'We welcome' there was a very slight pause as the suspect realized what he said. It sounded like he was referring to the audience but he had included his accomplice by accident. The next sentence 'My message' proves that by the minimal uptick in the volume and deepness of the voice that he is trying to focus on the 'my' aspect of the transmission in order to throw us off by his unintentional mistake from before." She stopped, beaming proudly. Around her, every officer in the room including Bogo were staring at her confused. Her smile started to falter before she sighed and pointed to her ears. "These don't lie."

Bogo climbed to his feet and approached the podium. "Hopps, your ability to pick up sounds is impressive specifically in this case, but it's not concrete proof. Let's get ba-"

"Chief, if I may?" The red fox stood on top of his chair to gain some attention.

"What now, Wilde?"

"I have another bit of evidence to add."

Bogo's vein twitched before he snorted. "This should be interesting."

Nick moved to the front of the room. "I'm sorry to my canine boys in blue but I need all the wolves to leave for now."

"Wilde, what the hell do you thi-"

"It's vital, Chief. You'll understand in a minute." Bogo glared at the vulpine before he agreed. The wolves shuffled out, Wolfard casting a look behind him at the fox at the front. "I'm sorry, buddy," Nick called to him. "You'll understand and appreciate it." Keying the video to the proper moment, he paused before turning to Judy. "Carr- er, Officer Hopps. I'll need your assistance." No one missed the nickname reversal and a few exchanged glances with each other at the odd behavior. Judy, for her part, felt a sharp pain in her chest which she refused to let show on her face. She merely nodded to show she was ready. Resuming the video, the officers all winced as they saw the wolf being scraped by what looked like a paw of nails. They watched as he threw his head back and howled. Nick paused it at that moment. "Did anyone hear it?" They stared around confused, all except for Judy who's eyes had suddenly widened.

"Play that again, Nick!" Nick's chest suddenly felt a little lighter when she used his name but he squashed it down as he replayed the sequence. She heard it again and threw her fist in the air in triumph.

"Wilde, what are you two-"

"Don't worry sir, I'm on it." Judy hopped over to the laptop and began adjusting the audio settings. She replayed the scene but only left in the wolf's howl and faintly, in the background, they could hear a second wolf howl outside of the room which was quickly muffled.

"Decency. Morality. You can remove everything that makes you a civilized individual, but nothing can override your innate instincts. This wolf just fell to his and gave us our biggest break so far. These bastards aren't working alone. And with the elaborate design of these crimes, I'm willing to bet these two aren't the only ones there," Nick finished with a grim smile. He saw Judy look at him with a bit of pride overriding her desire to be angry with him. Bogo, his face ever the usual scowl straightened up for the first time this morning.

"It's not much, but it's the most we've gotten all week. Good jobs Delgato, Hopps, and Wilde." The three officers straightened a bit before saluting, Wilde's being his usual lazy version but still sincere. "Now, we still don't have much to go on, but we're gonna run with this as best as we can. Get the tech guys on this. I want the last two broadcasts stripped down and the audio analyzed. Every millisecond is to be examined. I want these bastards NOW!"

* * *

A few minutes later smallest partners on the force were in their shared office looking over the facts of the case for the hundredth time. With relatively no new info it had become a chore for the fox to even look at the folder. His rabbit partner on the other paw could not seem to be dragged away. Her obsession-like focus on each case was what made her a good officer but also made her very vulnerable if it wasn't panning out quick enough. She would become agitated, prone to verbal outbursts usually directed at her partner who she would accuse of being lazy or 'giving up when it got too hard for him.' She would usually backtrack immediately after, apologizing profusely. Nick would smile and tell her not to worry about it while on the inside he would metaphorically patch up the new knife wound to his chest.

The silence lasted quite a while, neither feeling very talkative after the events that morning. Both were at war with their own feelings and obvious misinterpretations of the other. Both shamed for feelings they should not be having towards their partner, neither knowing that they were experiencing the same pain.

_Even angry she looks beautiful._

_Then why don't you tell her?_

_I can't. You know what's going to happen. I can't do that to her._

_To her? Or to you?_

_*_ sigh _* Both._

* * *

After countless strategy meetings, suspect analysis briefings, and audio/video breakdowns, Nick was exhausted. All he wanted to do was go home, crawl under the covers, and sleep for a week. He was even too tired to change into his street clothes before heading home, preferring to just keep his uniform on for the sake of convenience. Heading through the lobby he looked over to see Judy working late in their office, her spiderweb of strings and crime scene photos growing rapidly. He hadn't gone a single night without saying goodbye to her bar a hospital visit, but tonight he knew she wouldn't be receptive of it. Hanging his head, he walked out the door, his posture and face noticed only by Clawhauser who was himself packing up for the night. Poor guy, thought Ben. _He and Judy must have had a big fight. They'll work it out. They always do._ Slightly happier, Ben grabbed his Gazelle snow-globe and popped it in his bag.

Walking down the road, Nick contemplated everything that had happened that day. It went from his ideal moment of perfection to the last thing he ever wanted to experience. How could we be so close and then so far away in such a short span of time? The thought made him sick as he reflected on the implications. Once this case was over, if it ever was for them, he needed to make things right. He cut through a darkened park to save a few minutes on his route home before he became aware of two things. One, there was someone rustling through the bushes to his left, and two he had a sudden slight pain in his neck.

Reaching up he felt a metallic shaft sticking out from his skin, one that hadn't been there a few seconds prior. Gritting his teeth, he yanked it out. A small silver tube with blue fletchings. _Aw shit._

Quickly grabbing his phone, he automatically dialed Judy, hoping she was still too mad at him to answer. A quick voicemail message later told him she had rejected the call. _Good bunny,_ he smirked. "Carrots, listen but please don't delete. I've been tagged. I've got a few seconds before I hit the ground. Listen for everything you can…" He shuddered feeling his legs start to buckle. "I'm sorry, Carrots. I had to. You'll understand later." He felt his eyes become very heavy as he slipped his phone underneath a nearby bush. "Carrots. I l-" *THUD*

The last thing he saw as his mind faded to black, was the wolf body being laid next to his, it's eyes glassy and cold


	10. Chapter 10 - A secret revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank god for my second fluff piece because I'm getting very sad re-reading this story myself. I'm such an asshole to do this to such nice characters. Remember, reviews are loved, PM's are appreciated, and donations are mandatory.
> 
> Disclaimer: Who has no thumbs and no ownership of Zootopia? This guy! Donald Duck is a friggin sadist.

_Who does that fox think he is?_ Judy stormed out of the precinct, nearly knocking over an otter coming up the steps. She was so pissed off she barely noticed the poor mammal and didn't bother to apologize. Her phone rang and, after digging it out of her pocket, became even more enraged as Nick's face filled the screen. _He disappears after work without even saying goodbye and_ now _he wants to talk to me?_ She swiped and declined the call. _Let him deal with talking to a machine for once. He did it to me all day today. He seems to enjoy tormenting me. He broke my trust this morning! I never would have let him sleep in my bed and he knows it._

_Except he said it was your idea last night._

_He was lying!_

_Have you ever known him to lie to you like that?_

_...Well, no bu-_

_And is he they type of mammal that would hurt someone like that?_

_No!_

_Then why would you accuse him of being one?_

Judy stopped dead on the sidewalk. "I wouldn't," she whispered aloud. "Ugh. Why didn't I let him explain?!" _I'll call him back. Right now._ Opening her phone she stared at the background image for a few seconds. She and Nick were laughing as she had shoved his ice cream into his nose, the timing of the picture could not have been any more perfect. She smiled softly at the image. _Things were so much simpler back then._ Bringing up her contacts, she tapped the first name in her favorites and chuckled at the contact picture she had of him sleeping with his tongue hanging out. Her sudden good mood lasted only a few seconds as she got a busy signal. She sighed. _I'll just call to apologize later._ Hanging up the phone she noticed a new voicemail had been added. _4 minutes? Who sends a voicemail for 4 minutes?_ Bringing up the menu, she selected the voicemail tab. Seeing the name of who had left the message she sighed. _Nick. Nick leaves a 4 minute voicemail._ Snickering she keyed the play button and listened, her eyes growing wider and more horror filled with each word whispered into her ear.

* * *

Clawhauser was busy with his new Gazelle app. It was late in the evening and he knew very little happened in between shift rotations so he figured he had a good 20 minutes to lay back and chill. He stared down at the "Angel with Horns" filling his phone screen. _What I wouldn't give to meet her in person,_ he thought happily. Everyone knew about his obsession with the famous singer but they humored him as it seemed to keep him happy no matter the problems around him. He was just settling down to listen to her new album he had purchased earlier that day when he heard a strangled cry from outside the front doors. Looking up, he felt a twinge of fear as the door slammed open revealing a panicked looking rabbit who was shaking from her ears to her hind paws. "Judy!" Clawhauser scrambled over the counter as fast as he could, grabbing a blanket from underneath the shelf. "What's wrong, honey? Here get under the blanket." He had barely finished putting it on her when her knees gave out and she collapsed to the floor.

Sobbing, her tears ran down her face and dripped onto the front entrance floor. She hunched over, her breathing ragged and uncontrolled. "They...took him," she whispered, her knees drawn to her chest.

Ben sunk down to his knees and wrapped his arms around his friend. "Who took who, honey?"

With a strength that surprised even herself, Judy threw the portly cheetah back, screaming to the entire precinct, "THOSE BASTARDS TOOK NICK!"

* * *

"How is she, Clawhauser?"

She hasn't moved or said a word for the last twenty minutes, Chief. She just lays there, staring at nothing." Ben and Bogo watched the small gray bunny laying in her partner's desk chair, unmoving. If not for the ragged breathing and the occasional tear, you would almost believe her to be asleep.

"We tracked his phone and found it in the park west of here. It was laying next to the body of the wolf we watched on the screen last night. If they stick to their same time table, they won't broadcast for another two or three days." The Chief turned to his old friend. "Work with her, Ben. I need to see her in my office in an hour ready to work."

"Chief I don't think th-"

"One. Hour." Turning, the large mammal stomped away. The cheetah swallowed hard at the look on the Chief's face. Almost like…guilt.

Ben moved into the office and pulled over another chair to sit next to his friend. Slowly stroking her head, he whispered soothing words to her. "Don't worry, hon. That partner of yours is one tough cookie. I doubt there's a cop in the entire force that could take what he can and dish it out half as hard. This won't slow him down at all." Ben threw caution to the wind as he smiled down at her. "And I know he won't be going anywhere. Not with his little bunny waiting for him. After all, she hasn't told him she loves him yet, has she?"

Judy raised her head to look at her friend's warm smile. Her sobbing began anew as she shook her head frantically. "No. I-I never g-got to tell him. And n-now h-he's g-g-gone!" Ben's eyes went wide and his smile disappeared in horror as he realized what he had just done to his little friend. He picked her up and held her close to his chest as he rocked them back and forth, her tears never ending as her sorrow filled the office. He rubbed her back for what seemed like hours until her crying had slowed and her trembling had stopped.

Ben looked at the clock and knew she had to go see Bogo in the next few minutes. If he kept her there he would come looking for her instead and it would be so much worse. "Hon. You need to go see Bogo. Are you up for that?" Judy shuddered, her breathing catching around the few dry sobs she made. Ever the dutiful officer, she nodded against his chest. "Okay little bun, I'll walk you up there."

"No. It's okay, Ben. I can do this." Judy straightened her uniform and stood tall even as her ears betrayed her, drooping down her back. Ben shot her a look saying he wasn't convinced. "I _can_. I can do this. For Nick."

* * *

Judy made her way up the staircases to her boss's office. Never before had the trip up those stairs felt so draining to her, both mentally and physically. Raising her paw to knock on the door, she hesitated, taking a hard look at her current state of mind. Her emotional stability was gone, stripped the moment she heard that voicemail. This case had been a trial far harder than she could bear alone. Without Nick beside her, she would have crumbled the first day. Now, it was Nick himself who was in danger and she felt more lost than she could ever have believed. He had secretly been taking over her whole world. He had become everything to her and she had been unwilling to ever tell him until suddenly she felt that she would never get to. _He could die._ Her paw slapped to her mouth as she realized the truth. _He could die, never knowing that I love him_. The thought brought new tears to her eyes before she hastily brushed them aside. _No! Nick needs me. And I will not let him down. Not now. Not ever again._

The door to Bogo's office opened slowly. The Chief automatically looked up at eye level before noticing the tufts of rabbit ears scrambling into the oversized chair in front of him. He leaned over his desk to stare at his favorite (although he would never tell anyone) officer, his usual stern scowl softened by her appearance. Understandably, she was distraught at losing her partner, especially to these madmen. "Hopps. I need to know if you can handle this." Judy looked up at him, meeting his eyes for the first time that night. "We need all hands if we're going to find Mr. Wilde. You said he left you a voicemail while he was being taken?" Judy nodded in the affirmative.

"We had a fight earlier. I mean you could probably tell. Everyone else could." Her eyes darkened at how minimal it had all seemed. There was no reason for the fight. She had simply been stubborn and an ass that morning and pushed where she shouldn't have. "He um…he knew I was too upset to answer the call so a voicemail would be the perfect way to record whatever was happening. He had been hit with a dart right before so he didn't have much time to talk to anyone." Bogo raised his brow, impressed by the idea the fox had come up with while suffering from the tranquilizer. Judy raised her eyes to look at her boss. "Why would they do this, Chief? A cop? That seems like such a huge risk. And why Nick? It just doesn't make any sense." Judy cast her gaze back down to the floor as she sniffled.

Bogo fidgeted in his chair, his eyes subconsciously trailing to the scrap of paper he had stashed in the book on his table. He had been looking at it again when Judy's sudden appearance at his door had caused him to hastily stuff it out of sight. "Look Hopps'" he began, his stomach churning at the lie he was about to tell her. "Sometimes evil people just do evil things because they can. There may not be a reason behind it. Might not have even been a target, just a red fox traveling through the park when they were dumping the body."

She seemed to accept this and as she did Bogo felt a wave of guilt wash over him so badly he felt sick. Mumbling an excuse he stomped out the door and headed to the washroom. Judy hadn't heard him dismiss her so she stayed where she was in case he needed to keep questioning her. Unknown to Bogo, the rabbit in front of him was very observant, able to fool others into thinking they were sly, but all that time working with Nick had given her some useful skills like how to watch people and gauge if they were lying or being misleading. She had gotten that sense from the Chief and she couldn't fail to notice how his gaze had wandered to the book on his table, the same book she had seen him hastily shut when she came in earlier. Hopping off the chair, she ambled over to Bogo's and used it to get to his desk. Her paw hovering over the book, she thought about a time where she would never had dared to do something like this, but now her fox was in trouble and she didn't care what happened to her if she was caught. Flipping the pages, she came to a section in the middle that had a slip of paper stuffed into it. Flipping it over, her breath caught in her throat as she felt her world start to unravel.

* * *

Bogo had finally made his way back to his office, his legs a little uneasy after what his body had just gone through. Too many emotions were flooding his system. He needed this day to end so he could go home to his family and sort this out in private. Reaching the door, he realized it was still open and he could hear short, raspy breaths coming from the room. Turning the corner, he saw Officer Hopps crouched on his desk holding a thin strip of paper in her paws. _Oh no._ His hooves clacked against the linoleum before hitting the carpet of his office, the sound reaching the gray bunny. She slowly turned her head to stare at him with a fury unmatched by anything he had seen from her before.

"Chief. What is this?" Her smooth tone made him even more uneasy. He couldn't bring himself to meet her gaze and she knew he was afraid of what she had found. "Chief. I'm going to ask again. And remember I have taken down much bigger animals than you and I am one pissed off rabbit right now. WHAT. THE FUCK. IS. THIS?!" Throwing the piece of paper at him, he stared down at the simple line. **_One of your own will be next. You will have to choose which one._** On either side was a picture of Nick and Judy. Nick's picture had been circled numerous times in red ink. "Just tell me, Chief. How could you just give him up so easily? It seemed quite easy for you to choose between us. So why?"

The cape buffalo stared down at the ground, his head hung in shame. "I didn't choose," he grunted. Looking back up, he stared unwavering into her angry glare. "Wilde did."


	11. Chapter 11 - Actions and consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I got caught sneaking into Disney HQ to steal Zootopia. This isn't a joke guys, I need bail money! You gotta get me outta Disney jail! Goofy is eyeing me and I don't feel safe!

"What do you _mean_ Nick did? Why would Nick choose to be tortured? He's not suicidal." The look Bogo gave her suddenly made her feel like she said something incredibly stupid.

"He did it for _you_ , Hopps." Judy's eyes went wide as she rapidly opened and closed her mouth, unable to form a thought. Bogo snorted. "Wilde found the paper two days ago when he was waiting for me. My meeting with the mayor ran long and of course Wilde did what Wilde does when he's bored."

_He went snooping_ , thought Judy.

* * *

**_*Two days earlier*_ **

"I can't believe old Buffalo Butt called me into his office just to wait on his lazy ass to finish with the mayor. I've got shit to do!" Nick was talking to no one in particular but he found that talking out loud to himself seemed to help him work through things better than when he'd inner monologue. "We've got some sort of insane asylum wannabe taking out animals left and right and he thinks schmoozing with the mayor and keeping my ass stuck in this depressing office is better than being downstairs working with Carrots to solve this thing." His mind started to drift at the thought of his partner. He was so conflicted on how to handle his feelings for her. _The right situation will present itself and I'll know what to do._

_That's very mature of you, Nick._

_I know, ain't it?_

_It's also not going to work._

_Probably._

Shoving himself off the oversized chair, Nick decided he had been bored enough. "Let's see what secrets our beloved Chief keeps locked away in here." Rummaging through the drawers of the desk, Nick eventually hit pay dirt as he found a high-quality scotch bottle and a couple glass tumblers. "I wouldn't mind a sip of that but someone's probably already poisoned it and the old bastard is too ornery to die. Good to know for future blackmail reference though." He put the items back before finding a locked drawer. Now this is more like it. Pulling his Leatherman from his back pocket, he flicked open the flat head screwdriver and inserted it carefully into the lock. The drawer lock was a simple one as they are rarely used to store anything important so the screwdriver met no real resistance as the pins set and Nick turned the lock.

Opening the drawer he expected to find a bunch of dirty secrets about the chief, maybe a secret diary or some unsent fan letters to Gazelle, the Chief was a huge fan of the pop star, but he found himself disappointed at a log book of current stings and operations of which he had no real interest as thy were for the other precincts, a picture of his wife and child ( _cute kid_ , Nick mused), and a scrap of junk paper. Getting ready to close the drawer and move on to the cabinet behind him, he stopped as the familiar picture of a gray bunny stood out on the slip of paper. Slowly reaching in, he lifted it out of the drawer as he stared at her photo. It took him a few seconds to realize that her photo was not the only one and he stared down at his smirking mug on the other side. Only vaguely aware of a message scrawled between them, it took him several tries to read and understand it, his shocked face turning into one of horror, and quickly, rage...

Opening the door to his office, Bogo found the fox reclining in his desk chair, his eyes hidden by his aviator glasses, his muzzle set firmly in a stoic expression. "Wilde! Get your ass out of my chair, now!" Nick merely sat there, his expression unchanged. He made no movement to obey the Chief of Police who stood there glowering down at him. "Wilde, you have 2 seconds to get out of my chair before I throw you over this de-" he cutoff as Nick lobbed a crumpled piece of paper at the angry buffalo. Snatching it from the air, Bogo uncrumpled it only to stare at the nauseating slip of paper that had been haunting him ever since the doctor handed him the envelope.

"Me." came a low grunt.

Bogo had not removed his gaze from the paper and barely heard the fox. "What?"

"It's going to be me." Nick ssaid again."

Bogo gave a start. "You can't be serious? I can't make this kind of decision, Wilde. It's against regulations, it's against the law, and more importantly it's against my own soul. I can't just order a mammal to willingly sacrifice themself."

Nick lowered the aviators from his face and as the Chief looked into the eyes of the small predator he felt himself blanch a little. Cape Buffalos had no natural predators. They were large, they were deadly, and they had developed no real sense of fear. Yet the sight of the bloodshot, feral eyes of the fox in front of him gave him pause. This was an animal that was at least 20 times smaller than him that he knew would attack him in a second. _This is beyond protecting his partner. This is territorial. This is way beyond what I had seen between them, at least from Wilde._ "You are going to tell these sick fucks to go after me or I will drive that slip of paper so far up your ass it will come out your nose, hogtie you, and deliver you to IA personally. Do I make myself clear?"

Bogo snorted at the empty threat. "Why would you do this, Wilde?" He wanted to hear it from his own mouth, not his suspicions.

Nick simply raised his eyebrows. "That paper leaves very little to the imagination, Bogo. There's a 50/50 chance that Judy ends up being the one taken. That's not going to happen. No one is going to harm her if I can stop it. Now, put it through because if something happens to my…" he paused, "partner," Bogo raised his brow at the slip-up, "then you will find me in here with a far more permanent solution to our 'discussion'."

"Are you threatening me, Wilde?!"

"Yes. Yes I am." putting his aviators back on, he stalked from the room. "Just tell me Chief, what would you do in my place?" Gesturing behind him, he left the office.

Bogo turned back to his desk and saw the photo of his wife and child sitting on it, Nick having removed it from the drawer and placing it there to make his point. Staring at the photo of his beloved family, he wiped away a tear that had started to form and quickly circled the paper, scanned it, and sent it to the disposable email address on the back.

He raised his hoof and ran it down the face of the picture. "Forgive me."

* * *

_***Present*** _

Bogo was unable to raise his head to look Judy in the eye. "Hopps…I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kept you in the dark, no matter what Wilde had said. And just like I did so long ago, I put my own personal feelings above the welfare of my officer. I hope you can forgive me one day." Hearing a sharp intake of breath in front of him, he raised his eyes to see the small bunny consumed by rage.

" _Forgive you?!_ You allowed my partner to be sent out and mutilated! Perhaps killed! All because you don't have a spine to stand up to a first year rookie?! No, Chief. I will _not_ forgive you. If Nick doesn't make it through this, you won't either. I'll leave your career in ruins. You will be seen as the disgrace to this precinct that you are. And if by some miracle that Nick does come home to m- to _us_ , it will take you a _very_ long time to earn my trust back, if ever."

With that, Judy stormed from the room, slamming the door hard enough that the glass cracked. Bogo barely acknowledged the sound of breaking glass as he put his head in his hooves.

* * *

For days Judy chained herself to her desk, searching everything she could find, chasing down every lead she could imagine. She visited the friends and relatives of every victim, her behavior growing more and more erratic. Bogo had been staying out of her way as much as possible but after receiving a couple of calls about her attitude he decided that he needed to step in. When he ordered her from the building, she turned on him so fiercely he had to have her escorted out. Unknown to him, she came back using the rear entrance, using her size to avoid the security cameras and locked herself back in the office she shared with Nick. She refused to eat and when she slept, if at all, she curled herself up in Nick's chair.

She slipped into despair as for the first time in her life she found she had no answers. There were no leads. No forensics. No witnesses. She knew she was running out of time to save Nick and it scared her. Her paws had not stopped shaking for two days. Her legs would suddenly flex on their own, kicking out randomly. Her head would twitch to the side causing anyone nearby to call out to her in worry. Her anxiety was out of her control and because of it her temper was too. She was prone to snapping at anyone and everyone for little things like standing in her way or talking too loudly. She was at her breaking point and she knew it. She tried to talk to her parents about it but everytime she pulled her phone out and saw Nick's face on the wallpaper she would angrily throw her phone across the room.

And then something happened that drove her to the edge of madness. The computers in the precinct flickered and showed a screen of static and blood-red letters...

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Post A/N:I left this one a little short as I couldn't find a way to properly express what I wanted to portray, however we're getting to the part everyone either wanted or threatened me about lol.


	12. Chapter 12 - Faces of evil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Here it is. The chapter you've all been dreading or demanding.
> 
> Disclaimer: I tried to trade my soul for ownership of Zootopia, but I forgot I already traded it to Mel Gibson for a signed Braveheart Claymore. Best trade EVER.

"You have all fallen victim to the lie that is Zootopia. A paradise where everyone gets along while stamping out our reality in nature. Predator and prey are destined to fight forever. The blood lust is eternal, the fear everlasting. No mammal can escape what they were born to do. We are all designed to be what we are and chaining ourselves to the lies around you degrades what you are. Tonight we are joined by a special guest." The speaker moved out of the camera's view to show a bloody and beaten fox in a blue uniform.

* * *

Across town, viewing through a monitor in her office, Judy gasped as tears began to well in her eyes. She could barely stand to look at the monitor but she knew she had to remain strong for him. For some reason she felt that if she was watching him then he wasn't truly alone.

* * *

"This is Officer Nicholas Wilde. The first fox of the ZPD. He is the epitome of defying his own species, his own destiny, and even all predators. This fox has turned his back on nature in doing so has damaged all of our futures."

"Hey tall, dark, and moody!" The red fox taunted his captor. "Can we just get to the torture already? You're boring the shit out of me."

* * *

 _No Nick. Please. You have to come back to me._ Judy silently begged the screen as if Nick would be able to hear her thoughts. _Don't make it worse. I can't bear to see you die._

* * *

"My cause is just, little fox. I speak for the natural order. I-"

"Still wet the bed?"

The robed figure moved across the room before coming up behind the shackled Vulpine with a twisted cloth. A determined look in eyes, Nick quickly looked directly into the camera. "Bogo! Don't you dare let her see th-". His message was cut off as he was gagged.

"Don't worry, Nicholas Wilde. I have tapped into every broadcast signal in the city. Right now, every television, computer, and smartphone can see you. So don't worry. I will make sure Officer Hopps can see everything." Nick's face showed a clear sign of panic. The shadowy form turned back towards the cameras. "One more charge to the list of his egregious affronts to nature. He dared to lust after his own natural prey."

* * *

Judy watched as Nick struggled, throwing himself at his bonds repeatedly trying to get at the masked mammal. Her paw went to her mouth at the words spoken by the beast. She sat stunned by the realization of what he had just said. Before she could begin to process it, the door to her office broke open and Chief Bogo entered the room. "Hopps, you need to go home."

"Chief, I'm not going to leave him alone!" Judy was nearly crying as she began to hyperventilate.

Bogo raised himself to his full height. "Hopps! Do you really think that Wilde would want you watching him be hurt like this? You need to go home. You need to avoid this at all costs. Nick did not sacrifice himself just so you could shut down in your own despair. Now go home or I will have you thrown out."

Judy sat there silently until Bogo turned and walked out. She quickly made her way to one of the storage closets and locked herself in before pulling out her phone and turning it on. As he had claimed, the phone was automatically tuned to the broadcast feed. She lay down next to her phone and listened to the muffled yips coming from her fox. _I won't let you go through this alone, sweetie. I can't._

* * *

Nick fought against the cold metal binding him to the rough wooden table, every motion causing thin shards of wood to pierce his back. His gagged jaw opening and closing as much as possible as he tried repeatedly to form an insult to throw at the sadistic bastard in front of him. Resigned to his fate for the moment, he did what a cop should do. He looked for clues. His ears twitched at every sound he could pick up. His nose sniffed every smell. After a few minutes he had gathered enough clues to propel the case forward by a significant amount. The only thing was, would he live long enough to get that info to the precinct.

He was broken from his thoughts by the unmistakable sound of a blade being drawn. Turning his head, Nick caught sight of a long, thin dagger being slowly removed from the sheath surrounding it. He didn't know what that was going to be used for, but he knew it was not going to be good for him. Watching it coming closer, the blade dancing in the candlelight, he could almost smell the malevolence of his captor who was soon to be his torturer. His trepidation grew as the the point of the blade reached the button on his uniform. With a slight flick, the button was cut off, followed by several more until the dagger was able to push the uniform edges away from his stomach. The creature in the black robes lowered the knife until it grazed Nick's skin, lightly tracing an outline into his fur. With every pass, the pressure increased causing the blade to bite deeper and deeper, the pain steadily growing until Nick began whimpering. On the next pass the blade pierced the skin, blood now flowing from the wound. Nick futilely tried to yip through his gag. Tracing the pattern, the beast continued pushing the tip down into his skin over and over until an image had formed. An ornate letter N had appeared, the blood obscuring most of it. Nick's yips had turned to snarls as the masked menace stopped his torment, putting the dagger away.

He wasn't done as he next picked up a hooked flaying blade. Tracing a pattern once more, he made sure to add extra pressure to the edges and was quicker in cutting through the skin before he started slicing at the top of the flesh. Nick shrieked as he felt his skin being ripped off of him, dragging his fur with it. The naked flesh burned as the layers beneath were exposed to the world forming an intricate letter D. His struggles became desperate as he fought to get away from the pain. It was hurting so much more than he had been prepared for. He knew what he was getting himself into, and he would protect Judy again if he had to, but the pain was nothing like he had ever experienced and, if his past exploits were any sign, this was only the start.

His fears were realized as he recognized the vial of acid the torturer now held from the last broadcast. He silently begged his captor to put it down, to spare him the agony that was coming, but it was to no avail. The glass dropper was filled, the acid poised, and the next letter outlined in his skin as the flesh boiled. The pain was never ending as the L was burned into his stomach, the fur turning black and permanently melting to him. He twisted his body as much as he could, trying to get the feeling away. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he resigned himself to his fate.

Brimming with confidence, the monster ungagged him to hear his pitiful cries. He leaned in close, ready to revel in his victory of breaking his prey when the Vulpine suddenly threw his head back and howled. Completely caught off guard, the mammal beneath the mask howled in return. Nick's muzzle broke into a huge grin. Turning towards the camera he shouted as loud as he could. "Bogo! Wolf, ram, fox, and rabbi-ummph!" His gag was reestablished before he could finish.

* * *

At the precinct, Bogo turned to every officer in the station. "You heard him! I want everything you can give me on any secret meetings or cults involving those 4 mammals! _NOW_!"

* * *

"Very clever. You're tuned into your senses, fox. This is good. It shows you still have part of your nature within. However, as much as I'd like to praise you for it, you remain a threat to our cause. Therefore your nose will have to be removed from the equation." Pulling a small knife from his robes, the wolf dragged it along the tip of Nick's nose, the sensitive vessels bursting and spilling blood into the nostrils, coating everything. The only thing Nick could smell now was his own blood and it was nauseating. He choked on the gag as his stomach spilled forth.

"Nature." The wolf gestured to the first letter. "Destiny. Lies. Forever will these be ingrained not just in your body, but in the minds of everyone watching your suffering." The wolf ripped the badge from Nick's chest and walked out of frame. Returning with a jagged knife, he cut and tore the ruined uniform from the small fox's torso. "These rags of false power do not belong to you. You are a pretender. A conman. A fool. But if you wish to play the part, let us help burn it into your very nature." Reaching out of frame, the larger beast pulled three wire frames into focus. The wire was red-hot and twisted into three different letters. The heat coming from them was intense and Nick could feel it coming closer and closer to his skin. He once again tried to escape it in vain as the metal touched his fur. He shrieked as the flesh was burnt black. The wolf left the letters on his skin until the metal had cooled. Nick glanced down and saw the letters "ZPD" branded into his chest. The pain did not desist and Nick could feel his self-control faltering. He closed his eyes and as such he missed the next part of his degradation. "Now Nicholas, do you stand behind the shield you swore to uphold?" Nick's eyes shot open as he stared into the blazing hot face of his badge. "Is it more important than your own self? Do you truly believe yourself an officer of the law?" Nick knew what was being asked of him, but he would not abandon his job. His duty. His partner. Gritting his teeth around the gag, he nodded. If the wolf was surprised, he didn't reveal it beneath the mask and instead turned the badge around and pressed the mirror image into Nick's chest. Nick's vision began to blur and he became dizzy as the heat from the glowing metal twisted his mind. He struggled with everything he had to not pass out. He was not going to appear weak to these monsters.

* * *

For hours Judy listened to these bastards torture her fox. As they sliced open his paw pads. As they yanked his claws out. When they had dragged his fang from his jaw she had wept as he had wept. She hated putting herself through this but she knew that somewhere inside of him, Nick knew she was listening and that it must give him strength. Every time there was silence she had prayed. _Let it be over. Please let this be the last time._

* * *

The gag was removed from Nick's mouth. Coughing up the blood and bile in the back of his throat, he fixed the faceless mask with a smirk. "All tuckered out, big boy? So when do I get my wheel of death choices?"

"Oh you misunderstand, Mr. Wilde. We won't be killing you." Nick's brow raised at his disbelief. "You see, to kill you would make you a martyr. We don't want to build you up, we want to tear you down." The wolf turned to the computer and typed in a single word. 'Suffering' flashed across the screen. Nick's eyes widened. He failed to see the wolf step away as he was haunted by the ideas flashing through his head.

Unknown to him, three hooded mammals appeared behind him. The first carried a glowing piece of short rebar. "See no evil!" he shouted as he laid the burning steel across Nick's left eye. He shrieked and flailed around trying to dislodge the searing heat from his face. He could smell his own burning flesh and, as it mixed with the blood in his nostrils, the combination made him sick and he coughed up bile all over his throat and chest. His cries echoed of the stone wall as he felt tears flow from the one eye he had left. The now useless eye faded into a cloudy white color as Nick's vision flickered and died.

* * *

Judy watched in horror as they destroyed the beautiful emerald eye of her partner, her stomach threatening to spill out of her mouth.

* * *

The second stepped forward and grabbed his right ear. "Hear no evil!" Raising a serrated blade he slowly sawed through Nick's upright ear. The slow, agonizing motion of sharpened steel tearing through sensitive flesh set the Vulpine's nerves on fire. His piercing screams caused all who heard them to shudder in terror and revulsion. Nick felt the skin separate with each pass of the edges, the blades detaching skin and fur from the rest of his skull. The pain overwhelmed him, his other ear splayed back on his head, the first no longer capable of moving at all. With a final tugging sensation, he watched as what used to be his ear floated down to the ground in front of him.

* * *

Judy blanched as she saw the horrors they were inflicting upon her beautiful fox. She instinctively reach up and grabbed her own ear, stroking it desperately as if afraid it might suddenly come off too.

* * *

The third stepped up holding an object of metal and mesh.

* * *

"Oh god no!" Judy could only watch helplessly as she watched the twisted bastards hold up the one thing Nick feared above all. "NO!" She beat the floor over and over, screaming at the image on her phone.

* * *

Nick's gasps were ragged as the pain continued to assault his battered body. His one good eye was shut tight, steeling himself against what was to come next. He sensed something hanging in front him. Unable to stop himself he opened his eye. _No_. "No no no no no no! _NO! NO!_ "

"Speak no evil!" All three voices shouted in unison as they lowered the muzzle down onto Nick's face. The straps wrapped around the bottom of the table and were secured to bolts. Nick threw his head back and forth trying to dislodge it but it was useless. He began crying in earnest, his muffled cries unheeded by the trio behind him. Turning, they left him in his nightmare turned real.

_NOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

* * *

**Post A/N: I had a very hard time writing this because of the content and I'm not sure if I captured it properly so I'd love some feedback.**


	13. Chapter 13 - Dangerous Despair

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Nothing. Nothing. I own nothing. The bank even took my last can of Who Hash which is completely fictional! Wth bank?

Silence had fallen across the precinct, not a single officer finding themselves capable of doing anything except breathing, the haunting images of what they had just seen still branded in their minds, unwilling to fade away. Tears had stained fur and skin, uniforms becoming damp as they soaked into the fabric, but no one cared. No one was bothered by their show of emotions towards seeing one of their own put through that level of hell. As the screen had darkened to black, a new emotion rolled over the precinct replacing the one of sadness and despair they had felt during the broadcast. It was a powerful feeling, one that stemmed from the frustration of their hopelessness at watching their comrade be hurt and unable to do anything. One that was building among every mammal there until they could feel them gritting their teeth. In short, every officer in Precinct One was pissed.

Almost as one, the entire station stood from their chairs and headed to the lobby, dozens of silent mammals making their way down the halls in solidarity. No one spoke, not a single utterance of sound beyond an uncontrollable growl from one pred or another. The footfalls in unison sounded like an army, and that may have been what many thought. That they were an army with one goal in mind. To get Nick back and end this terror once and for all.

Chief Bogo sat slumped at his desk, the moth eaten and rickety chair groaning beneath his weight. After the broadcast had ended, the Chief had put his hoof over his eyes, recalling the events over the past few days. How this had started with a legless jackrabbit and turned into three homicides, 2 mutilations, and the physical and mental torture of one of his finest officers. He had thought that the Nighthowler case would be the worst thing he would ever have to oversee in his career. Dozens of mammals going savage, others being mauled. Yet that was simply a power-ploy by a mad sheep. This...this was insanity. It was depravity. He honestly was no longer sure if they could stop this before someone else got hurt. This was beyond their ability to comprehend, to reason with. The buzzer over his phone jostled him from his brooding, the dark thoughts scattered for the moment.

Tapping his hoof onto the receiver, Bogo let out a gruff "What?" to the dispatcher.

"Um, Chief?" The cheetah seemed a little overwhelmed to Bogo which was understandable after what they had just witnessed, but it seemed like there was a tinge of happiness in his voice that made him pause. "You're going to want to see this." Sighing, the Chief struggled to gain his footing before lifting himself from his chair. His movements slow and morose, Bogo grabbed the door handle with a little more force than he meant to, his hooves crushing the flimsy metal. Pulling open the door with a grunt, he headed to the railing and looked down over a sea of mammals. Everyone from the officers to the garage pit crews was in the lobby, all of them staring up at the Chief. It was a sight that gave the Cape Buffalo pause, the older mammal never having seen such solidarity from his officers before.

As he watched them silently, he could hear the quiet sound of rustling cloth telling him the mammals were getting restless. They were expecting to hear reassuring words from their Chief on what the next step was but he seemed too stunned to speak properly. Composing himself in that moment was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do. He felt his stomach churn, a wave of nausea threatening to wash over him. He was not the Chief of Police for no reason, however and he quashed those feelings deep inside, promising himself he would deal with the fallout later if need be. For now, his officers needed him and his reassurance.

"One of our own has been taken," he began. "One of own has been subjected to the... _perversion_ of these sick bastards. It wasn't enough that they were targeting innocent civilians and broadcasting their sick message to those who would pay. Now they've gone on to attack Zootopia itself!" Murmurs went through the room, the clusters of whispering steadily gaining strength and volume. "Not only did they try to intimidate the ZPD, but they also broadcasted it to the entire city, trying to humiliate one of our brethren! This will not stand. We will not let them tear us down. We will not be divided!" Sweeping his glare across the hall, he was rewarded with loud cries of agreement, the mammals getting riled up in the lobby. "Wilde gave us the intel we needed. Something that we never would have gotten otherwise. And he paid a heavy price because of it." Somber eyes looked towards the ground as one after another the officers felt the pain of their missing comrade. "But we will not abandon him. We will find him. We will bring him back. And then...we are taking these bastards DOWN!" Accentuating his last word with a strike of his hoof on the railing, Bogo barely noticed the dent he had left in the metal, his own emotions caught up in the rallying cry of roars and trumpeting from below. Feeling pride in his officers, the Chief had started to continue until a hush fell over the crowd. Concern flashed across his face while he craned his neck, trying to see exactly what had happened. And when he finally did see, his heart stopped cold.

The room had gone so silent that the shuffling feet of a tiny mammal could be heard from one end of the room to the other. Nearly every officer in the room blanched at the sight of what they were seeing, their faces full of concern, pity, and overall fear. Ears drooped down, a small gray bunny moved with almost a snail-like pace. Her feet barely leaving the floor before dragging themselves forward. Her eyes were bloodshot, the skin around them red from irritation of fur being run over them too many times. Dark stains on her cheeks told them all they needed to know and they parted, giving the distraught mammal a wide berth. Some wanted to reach out to her but were afraid to do so in fear she might simply break. The poor thing was heartbroken, everyone knew.

It was not exactly a secret around the office how much the two officers cared for one another yet it seemed as if only Hopps and Wilde were unable to put the pieces together. Until tonight. Wilde's desperate cry to Bogo to hide his experience from her held more than a little extra emotion behind trying to spare his partner, and the distraught mess they saw in front of them went way beyond the reaction of even an abnormally close friendship. This was the look of a defeated mammal. One that stunned all as Office Judy Hopps made her way through the lobby, oblivious to the gathering of all of her coworkers around her.

Reaching the front desk, Judy began to reach for the key to her cruiser when a call echoed across the room. "Hopps, we need to ta-" Bogo broke off suddenly as the bunny's head whipped around at an alarming speed. A fire burned inside of her eyes, a look of pure hatred aimed at her boss, one that was so intense that everyone near her cringed and stepped back. Even the Chief was speechless, his normally stone exterior suddenly melting under the horrific gaze of his officer. Turning back to the desk, Judy grabbed the keys to her cruiser and silently walked out, this time without any interference.

Feeling the room gain a sudden chill, the Chief tried to regain some of the passion from earlier, to try and rouse them back into the frenzy they had been in, but he no longer had any desire to. The glare from Judy had been the final nail in his coffin for that night and he started to sink back into the fog that had been plaguing him for days. Standing straight, he addressed his officers once more. "Everyone see what you can find on these leads. We need to find Wilde and we need to find them. Dismissed." Watching them walk off, he could hear the whispered conversation, many of them wondering why Judy had glared at the chief like that. "Wolford, Delgato, Grizzoli. My office, 15 minutes." The three mammals gave a crisp salute before heading to their offices to try and get a bit of searches in during the break.

Closing the door, Bogo took several steps before collapsing back into his chair. Waging a silent war within himself, he opened one of the drawers and gazed down at the bottle of liquor he kept stashed in there, especially for days like this. Letting his hoof pause halfway to the bottle, he shook himself and slammed the drawer shut. _As much as I may need that, my officers need me. Wilde needs me. Hopps..._ Letting his thoughts dwell on his most surprising and yet effective officer, the memory of the glare of hatred sent his way, he fell back deeper into his chair. _Im sorry, Hopps._

Across town, Judy was driving around aimlessly, her thoughts a scattered and jumbled mess. All she could do over and over again was see the agony they had put her fox through. And he was _her_ fox. She swore that whatever it took, she was going to get him back. She was going to help him get through what had happened. And she was going to tell him as soon as she felt he would accept her. With a start she realized that at some point during her driving she had parked the cruiser. Her mind on autopilot, she was not even sure where she was until she looked out the window. Recognizing the older building showing the wear of time, Judy exited the vehicle and slowly made her way inside.

The normally tight hallways were not a concern to her, her small frame easily passing down the hall. She passed by doorway after doorway, her feet putting her on a path she knew very well and did not need to pay much attention to. She knew that just around the next bend, past the staircase and 3 doors down and she would be where her heart desperately wanted to be.

"-yeah and it was broadcasted all over the news. I even had it on my cell phone."  
"So they just tortured a cop and showed it across all of Zootopia?"  
"Yeah, it was totally insane. These guys gotta are crazy to try and pull that one off. So cool to watch."

Judy stopped cold. Rounding the corner, she found herself staring at two teenagers, both eighteen or nineteen years of age, staring at their smartphones while sitting on the bottom most stair. The lion, barely growing in his first mane started to describe what had happened to his friend, a jaguar, when he suddenly looked up and found himself staring at a rabbit in a blue uniform, gold badge on her chest, a look of blind fury in her eyes. Feeling his smartphone ripped from his hands, the lion could only wince as she snapped it in two, tossing the broken halves to the ground and stomping on it, grinding it beneath her foot wraps.

"Hey, you can't just-" his words died in his mouth as her gaze snapped back up to him. Never in his life did he think a rabbit would ever inspire such fear in him, but this one was making him freeze in terror. Her eyes now turning to rest on the jaguar, she simply stared at him. He felt as if her violet eyes were boring deep into his soul, the intensity threatening to burn him from the inside. Quickly making a decision, hoping it was the right one, the young feline lifted his own phone to his mouth and bit down on it, his sharp teeth cutting it nearly in half.

Judy turned away from the teenagers and continued her way down the hall, leaving the two mammals shaking slightly from their encounter with the feral looking officer. Reaching the door she was headed for before the incident in the stairwell, the bunny pulled out her keys. Selecting one by memory, Judy put it in the lock, twisted, and lifted the door handle slightly allowing the warped door to open easily. Stepping inside the darkened apartment, she let her eyes adjust to it. Knowing what she was about to see, Judy stepped over the empty pizza boxes, left over soda cans, and discarded dishes, making her way towards the back of the unit.

Entering what should be called a bedroom, the bunny stopped. On a normal day, Judy would make some sort of quip about how messy the place was or how it must be a great place for breeding flies. Instead, the shaking mammal climbed past the piles of dirty clothes that littered the floor and climbed into the bed. Not bothering to take off her uniform, she simply pulled the covers over her and settled onto the pillow. Grabbing the second one, the one she knew he always used, Judy held it tight to her chest, letting the fading smell of her fox envelop her. Taking out her phone, she flicked it to one of the pictures they had taken a few weeks ago. They were both smiling, Judy's hand wrapped around his tie dragging him into the picture. Staring at it, she noticed something she hadn't before, probably because she wasn't looking it. While Nick's face was directed at the camera, she could see his eyes weren't. They were shifted in her direction, his smile just a bit warmer than their usual selfies.

She continued to stare at the picture while clutching his pillow tight.


	14. Chapter 14 - What you've lost may be found, but what you find may have been lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I've said it before and I'll say it again. These are not the mammals from the movie. These are darker circumstances which makes darker mammals.
> 
> Disclaimer: I stole the Queen's magic mirror to try and find out where they are keeping the right to Zootopia but all it does is keep telling me I'm fat. Well, it's not exactly telling me so much as showing me. You know what, I don't think this is the magic mirror at all...

The atmosphere of Precinct One had always been an inviting one. Most of the officers were a joyful lot, eager to do their jobs and as close knit as a family. It was the duty of every officer to protect the mammals of their city but there was an unspoken one as well. One that went to the very core of every mammal that wore a badge on their chest with pride. When a citizen was attacked or lost to senseless violence, it was a matter of professionalism to bring the perpetrator to justice. But when it was one of their own, it was personal. An attack on their family was one that would never be dropped. Would never be swept aside. The hunt was on and every officer in that building was out for blood.

The despair reflected inward. The usually light and friendly lobby now consumed by an invisible shadow, one of doubt and fear hanging over everyone and everything. The normally boisterous halls and offices were now hushed. Witty banter and loud discussions were replaced with silence. There were flurries of reports all dedicated to one thing and one thing only. Finding Officer Nicholas Wilde.

There had been many concerned with adding a fox to the force. Stereotypes abounded and prejudice still ran deep within many mammals. All too often would he be looked down upon by his fellow officers, undisguised sneers of disdain directed at the smaller mammal. Outwardly, he never gave an ounce of recognition to those derisive looks, but inside he would often find himself cracking under the harsh glares. Only with Judy by his side did he manage to stand tall and persevere. Eventually, his actions changed the minds of many of his fellow cops, accepting him into their ranks gladly. Nick had never forgotten the way he had been treated but he buried it deep down in favor of comradery and brotherhood. Even still, there were a few left who still found themselves unable to support working with a fox, unable to look past his species to the mammal who had proven himself a valued officer. Now however, even the most prejudiced of those mammals worked diligently to bring their brother home.

Stationed at the front desk was the ever present Benjamin Clawhauser. Overcome with fatigue, he had retreated to the bunk room where several cots were arranged for those officers whose cases would take them to the point of exhaustion, usually needing to crash before heading home or returning to duty. Running on a minimal three hours, Ben worked hard to keep himself on task. With very few mammals coming into the precinct that morning and the phone calls being handled by the switchboards, Clawhauser was poring through old records, attempting to help eliminate case files from needing to be looked at in relation to the current one the entire precinct was working on. Only when the door opened did he manage to pull himself away, each time wishing he would see a flash of russet fur and a cocky smug grin. He knew it was a foolish hope. If Nick were found he would be immediately rushed to a hospital. But it didn't stop him. Hearing the door open once again, Ben raised his head to acknowledge their arrival when his breath caught in his throat and his heart stop cold.

If there was anything that worried the officers as much as their lost brother, it was the gray rabbit that had entered the lobby just then. It was bad enough they were missing one of their own, taken in the night and subjected to horrible physical and mental trauma, but now they were losing another to the same monsters. Judy had reappeared after being gone for several hours, but no one was surprised. Not only was she a dedicated officer, but the mammal she most cared about in the entire world was missing, possibly dead. She had watched him being brutally assaulted and tortured for hours on end, subjecting herself to the horrors only to let herself pretend he knew she was watching, providing him with solidarity that he wasn't going through it alone. But he had had no way of knowing that, and she had no way to tell him.

It was the look of how downtrodden she was that had everyone concerned. After being gone for a while, they had hoped she would have let herself get some rest. Instead, it looked as if she had merely spent the entire time sobbing uncontrollably. As she came closer, many officers moved in, trying to console her. There were many words said about how Nick was a great officer, how he made them all better. How they had a feeling he'd come back to them though their words were hollow. They were empty promises trying to portray concern and hope, attempts to help the young rabbit cope with what she might need if things turned out badly. It did nothing but anger her. _How dare they. Nick is not dead. He'd never quit like that. He's waiting for m- for_ us _to find him. To fix this. And then to end it._

Feeling a sudden surge of renewed purpose and drive, Judy picked her head up and headed for her office. To the officers, it seemed as if their words helped her. And while it had certainly helped, it was not in the manner they had anticipated. Striding in and closing the door, she cast a look at her partner's chair, the empty seat almost beckoning her to climb up and rest in it. It was so tempting to find anyway she could to bring him closer to her right then but she resisted, knowing that self-indulgence would not help find her missing fox.

Retrieving a video file from the ZPD database, Judy loaded it to her computer and waited for it to finish processing. The age of the computers they had been given would not have been tolerated in another city, but it was necessary to skimp on the technological upgrades in favor of new cruisers and added officers, not to mention the full renovation of the forensic lab which had been needed for a good ten years. The detectives of of their precinct had been forced to pool their own money to buy newer computers but those on the beat would need to continue using the outdated desktops for at least another year. As such, it took the video a lot longer to load than it would on her personal laptop at home. Eventually the file had been downloaded and processed into a working video. One which Judy hesitated to start, knowing it would hurt her to watch. To hear him again. But it needed to be done. They needed her ears to try and find any clues to help solve this case.

Clicking the play button, Judy curled her knees to her chest and focused on the sounds rather than the images. It was no less damaging to her soul than it had been the first time around. When she heard him plea with the Chief not to let her watch it nearly broke her heart. After seeing the image on her phone the night before, she listened intently at his plea, noting a difference than when she had heard it the first time. His voice had broken, a desperation in it that would not have been heard by anyone else. Almost in fear that she might witness what he knew was about to happen. Wanting to spare her the pain and suffering he was about to experience. _Because he loves me._

It was the realization last night that had kept her up. It had put together so many pieces of the jumbled puzzle she had been unable to make sense of until then. His actions during the case. The closeness he had shown, the care he had given her, protecting her as much as he could. The morning in the apartment. When she reflected on how she had acted, she knew she had probably broken his heart. He had opened himself up to her after she had asked him to stay and she had accused him of crossing the line. It was the indifference and the anger they had shown to each other that really hurt. The last thing before she lost him was her acting as if she didn't care about him. And now all she had of him before he disappeared was a voice mail and a video of him being tortured.

It would take far too long to listen to the video in it's entirety, not to mention the toll it was taking on her sanity. She decided she would watch it in thirty minute intervals, taking a much needed break in between to clear her head. A distraction came in the form of her parents ringtone suddenly showing up on the screen next to her, but she was in no mood to talk. It was likely they had just found out about Nick and wanted to check on her. Keying the ignore icon, Judy left the office and headed towards the breakroom. She wasn't interested in seeing her fellow officers. They might be trying to help find Nick or bring in the mammals responsible, but none of them mattered to her right then. She ignored all questions or comments directed at her, all conversation being irrelevant to the small bunny until she heard they had found her fox. Filling a cup of coffee, she turned around and went back to her office, closing the door softly before sitting back down and keying up the next segment.

After nearly three hours and multiple cups of coffee, Judy had gained very little knowledge. The rooms were too perfectly designed to prevent outside noise. The one slip-up they had made the last transmission had been dealt with, leaving no errors they could use. Instead she focused on Nick. The sounds from his screams and whines of agony filled her heart with pain and anguish, but it also fueled the fires of rage she was using to keep herself lucid.

A sudden noise from behind her made her stiffen, her paw clicking the mouse to pause the video and minimize the screen. The scraping of the latch against the door frame that would be ignored by most mammals was deafening to the rabbit who had been straining her ears to pick up even the tiniest of sounds all morning. The soft thud of hooves told her exactly who was behind her, entering her tiny office. No other officer would dare enter without knocking, especially with how she had appeared that morning. So that left the only mammal who did not respect that level of privacy in the building although it was not one she was expecting, having been convinced he would have stopped trying to discuss anything with her last night.

"Hopps, I'm sorr-" A raised paw cut him off, his apology dying before it could even be finished. Not even bothering to look at him, she responded, ice in her voice.

"I swear if you finish that sentence I will kick you in the head and lay you out cold. You fucked up, Bogo. You sent him out there without any backup. Without a tracking device. No wire. No comms. You left him defenseless." Her tone, if possible, grew even angrier and cold. "You told no one about the ultimatum. Not even me. It's your fault he was out there alone and it's your fault he went through that hell." Spinning around, she fixed with with a glare so intense he felt himself shudder, the hatred in her eyes piercing to his very core. "Get out of my office."

Stunned at both her words and the feelings they caused within him, he turned and walked out, silently closing the door behind him. What she had said reflected what he had been berating himself on all night. He was supposed to be the unshakable rock of the ZPD. The one who always had the answers or, if he didn't, would support every precinct until they did. Instead, he had let his emotions get to him. He had been so shook up by the travesties he had been seeing from these transmissions, from hearing about or meeting the victims of these psychopaths that he had started to unravel. When faced with the decision on having to sacrifice one of his own, it had shocked him so badly he was unable to think straight and when Nick had offered him an easy way out of not having to choose, he had jumped at the chance. He was so relieved to not have to make that decision that his professionalism went out the window. Judy had been right. He had not followed protocol and equipped Nick with surveillance equipment or assigned a detail to him. He had not shared the details with his officers and as such, one of their own had been tortured and mutilated. _Hopps was right. I fucked up._

He was brought out of his mission on self loathing with the appearance of a maned lion, his expression a mix of seriousness and elation. "Sir! We believe we may have a lead on the ram Nick mentioned. We've tracked some old case files matching certain cult movements to an old suspect. One we never had any proof on but was always someone of interest. If it's him, it looks like he's been a member of several anti-pred organizations over the past fifteen years. From what we can tell he is definitely off the grid but we do have his last known address. We might be able to get something from it. Anything would be helpful at this point."

Bogo stood silent for only a moment before issuing orders. "Go. Take Wolford with you. Put his nose to good use." He grabbed the lions arm as he began to head away. "I'll have a warrant for you before you even make it out of the garage. But if I don't," He fixed him with a hard stare, "go in anyway. I'll deal with it later." Nodding to show he understood, Delgato resumed his way towards the timber wolf currently bent over a screen. After a few quick words, the two of them headed for the cruisers and were gone through the door in a a few heartbeats.

The cape buffalo took one more look at the office behind him and felt his shoulders slump. Making his way to the elevators he normally used to get to his office, he paused and headed for the front of the lobby instead, ascending the steps slowly. He needed the distraction and a few added seconds and burning calf muscles helped slightly. Reaching his door, the large mammal walked in and closed the door behind him with a defeated sigh.

* * *

Anyone who had dared to peak inside the shared office of the two smallest mammals in the ZPD would have been dismayed at the sight of Judy Hopps slumped over her desk, her forehead resting on the cool surface. They would also be able to see the frozen image of Nick on her computer monitor, the muzzle over his face and the look of panic in his eyes. The muffled scream that echoed within every officer's head could still be heard and would have been brought fresh to the forefront of their mind at seeing him like that again.

Many would argue that it was unhealthy for her to be watching it again. Others would say it was cathartic, her need to confront the reality of the situation a very powerful truth. After watching the hours upon hours of footage, Judy would simply say that the whole thing had been a waste of time. A waste of energy. Each scream drained her of what little will she had remaining. She would not dare say she knew how her fox was feeling, his agony and experience far exceeding anything she had every been put through in her life, but she did feel a certain kinship with the mental trauma. Where he had been forced to live through it, she had forced herself to in order to be closer to him. It was a disturbing idea, but it was the only one she had to comfort her.

Seeing the clock, she was not surprised to see it was late afternoon. She felt drained, both emotionally and physically. She knew that if she didn't get sleep soon it would overtake her anyway, but she couldn't let herself sleep. Not until she knew Nick was safe. She wanted him in her arms so he would know she had him and she would keep him safe.

It was the loud commotion from outside her door that jogged her from her thoughts and had her lifting her head from the desk. Painfully seeing Nick's chair in front of her, she regretfully turned away to move towards the door. Almost near enough to turn the knob, it suddenly burst open making her instinctively jump back. Not thrilled with the interruption, the face of a normally grinning cheetah made her pause. Ben had never been one to hurt her, always trying to cheer her up in days past, the only one to support her when she was first assigned there. She did not appreciate the interruption but the look of panic on his face brought Judy up short from yelling at him.

"Ben?"

"Judy," Ben stared at the rabbit, his face pale and his paws shaking. "They found him."

* * *

The amount of mammals storming through the halls towards the parking garage was chaotic. It seemed as if everyone in the precinct was desperate to reach Nick first, hoping to render aid or simply to confirm he was alive. Judy, who had fled her office in a panicked haste leaving Clawhauser dumbfounded at how someone could be that fast, was caught right in the middle. With all of the large officers surrounding her more focused on rushing forward than in noticing a small rabbit trapped underneath, she knew it was a very real possibly she could be hurt or possibly even killed if a heavy enough mammal stepped on her. Not in any mood to be kept from her fox either by having to wait to reach her cruiser or in getting hurt simply because she was small, Judy felt a bubbling within her, one she wholeheartedly embraced and drew in a deep breath. " _MOVE!"_

The shout was heard by everyone in the building. It was one of anger, of desperation, and it commanded attention. Standing still, shocked to the very core, the entire room barely moved. With a parting similar to the one they had partaken in just the night before, the sight of a gray bunny standing in the middle of the chaos was revealed. While they all remembered the pale shell of a mammal the last time she had appeared, this Judy Hopps was a different entity entirely.

Eyes of fire, her gaze ignoring every officer assembled in the lobby as if they were beneath her. And in a sense they were. She felt nothing towards any of them. The only thing they represented to her was impeding her from getting to her fox as quickly as possible. Noting the aggressiveness in her movement, the purposeful stalking through the path they had made, no one dared offer her a challenge. No one said a word to her, not wanting to risk her wrath they could feel building. And most of them knew it was her that needed to go. Her that deserved to be there for Nick. They were so connected that to _not_ allow her would be to threaten the only show of strength they had seen from her since it happened.

Having not even bothered to return her keys that morning nor park in the garage, Judy headed straight for the curb outside the precinct. She had stopped caring about the rules and regulations and she would be damned if she was going to let Bogo try to reprimand her for something she considered so trivial. If it wasn't for the fact that she had needed their resources to find Nick, she would have shoved her badge down the buffalo's throat and moved on. Now that he was found, she needed to keep it for another reason, one that she would be informing her "Chief" of in the near future.

Even though she was not normally such a reckless driver as Nick liked to accuse her of, always in a joking manner, today was when she would have proven him right. Slamming her paw down on the accelerator, the pedal met the floor and had nowhere else to go, though she tried to push it further. Barely whipping around the car in front of her, Judy maneuvered into traffic haphazardly, not even bothering to acknowledge the horns and curses coming her way. Flicking on the sirens and lights, Judy snatched up the radio. "Clawhauser, where is he?"

_"Um, Judy? I don't think you're suppose t-"_

"BEN! WHERE. IS. HE?"

She could hear an audible gulp coming over the radio. _"Main Street Park."_

Yanking the wheel, Judy whipped around the next curve, forcing several cars to yield to her cruiser. The lights kept most of them from honking but she was sure there would be quite a few calls into the precinct to report her driving. In days past, that might have bothered her, but she wasn't the same mammal anymore. She had been lied to and kept in the dark. She had watched her partner, her best friend, and the one she loved be maimed and carved up. She could see the hot metal laid across his eye and the muzzle latched over his mouth. No. She was no longer the Judy Hopps they had befriended. She was something far more ruthless now.

Coming up to the park entrance, she could already see the lights from a few fire trucks and first responders, the red cross on the ambulances something she both was thankful for knowing they were there to help, and also hated because it reminded her _why_ he needed them there. Coming to a halt and putting the cruiser in park, she was halfway out the door before it had even stopped rolling, sprinting between the cars, flashing her badge at anyone who dared look to stop her. She supposed they had already been called by the precinct as at the site of the panicked bunny they made a direct path to the center post.

Her heart died at the sight of him tied to the flag pole that stood in the center of the park. Originally a sign to celebrate the unity of the city, it now was a symbol of hatred and despair. His uniform had been torn open, strips of cloth hanging from his wrists and over his side. Where his badge used to hang was now an empty hole, the brass shied now pinned through the skin over his chest. The missing ear looked even worse up close, the skin having not been sliced cleanly. Instead it was jagged, several areas of flesh still poking up out of the ruined patch of fur. His feet were bound above the ground, not even allowing them to take the weight off his lifted form. She could see the strain in his muscles taking the brunt of the agony he must be feeling from the coarse rope. The branded letters in his chest were all too fresh and must be causing him immense pain. But the worst of it was what had been changed.

When he had been muzzled during his ordeal, it had been a simple one made from metal mesh and leather straps. But that had not been the end of it. Now, he was locked in place by what looked like straps made of steel, one that surrounded his whole head and trapped his muzzle shut. The welded metal was formed to fit the head of a fox nearly perfectly. There were only a few small gaps at the top and to the neck but only prevented his skin from being chafed in those spots, not anyway to escape.

As she got closer, she realized even _that_ was not the worst. Staring into the undamaged eye of her fox, she could see no life. No sign of light and merriment he always had. No twinkle in his eye as if he was remembering an old joke. Standing right in his vision, she was heartbroken to see not even a hint of recognition of her. "Get him down."

"Miss Hopps, we've been instructed to wait until the Chief of-"

"Get him down! Now! The Chief has no authority here." She fixed them with a heated glare. "Get him down or I will, and _you'll_ take his place."

Nervously gulping, the firefighters removed the rope allowing the injured mammal to slump to the ground. Immediately the paramedics who had been forced by the firefighters to wait swarmed the fox, checking him for any life threatening injuries, trying to decide what was needed before they took him to the hospital. Deciding he was stable, although catatonic for the time being, they lifted him and put him on a stretcher. One of them attempted to remove the steel muzzle but the metal would not give and they decided to leave it for the time being until they could look at it properly.

Judy, who had followed them to the back of the ambulance, attempted to climb in beside him when a cougar EMT stopped her. "I'm sorry, miss. I can't allow you to ride in the back of the ambulance with us. You'll have to meet him at the hospital."

Looking at the paw on her shoulder, Judy lifted her head and stared emotionless at the predator. The look on her face made the EMT uneasy, unsure what she was going to say or do. Instead of responding, the bunny grabbed his paw and moved it off of her shoulder. Then, still fixing his eyes with hers, climbed up into the ambulance to sit next to the catatonic fox. While the cougar was worried about being reprimanded after this, it was preferable to the unfeeling eyes of the small mammal across from him.

* * *

Waiting. It is when waiting that time seems to slow to a crawl. One might wait in line to get a coffee in the morning, in which case if they will be late for work the line seems to go much slower. Waiting in traffic, or at the grocery store can often seem like wasted time. But waiting does not truly hit someone until they are waiting in the emergency room. Waiting to hear about a loved one. Waiting to find out if they are alive. Waiting to find out if they will ever be able to hold them again. And it is this waiting that truly gnaws at the soul. It is this waiting that makes time seem to stand still for them while everyone else gets informed or taken back or released.

Judy Hopps was not immune to this phenomenon. She had spent hours in a single chair, not even bothering to get up to ask about any update on Nick's status, knowing full well that they would not release any of that information until they had come to get her. And so she waited. Many officers had come by to see about his condition, but they too were turned away. Some chose to remain behind and try to keep the rabbit company but eventually gave up when she would refuse to acknowledge them. Chief Bogo had made a short appearance demanding answers about his officer. He had been taken back only to emerge a minute or two later without any.

Judy stayed in that very chair until long into the night, not willing to move until her questions were answered and she could see her fox again. Finally, at about three in the morning, a nurse came to her and got down to her eye level. "Miss Hopps? I'm here to take you back now. The doctor says you can see him." After being awake for nearly forty-eight hours, the most she could do was stare dumbly at the nurse. She registered her words however and climbed down. She needed a minute to get her legs back however. After sitting in that chair for so many hours, they had fallen asleep making it difficult to follow for a few seconds. The pins and needles feeling in the bottom of her feet told her they were beginning to circulate again and, while annoyingly painful, she gained enough feeling to be able to walk with her.

Such was her focus that she passed by many mammals waiting in the halls, the rooms taken up by other more serious cases. Instead of being led to one of the rooms in the emergency section of the hospital, the nurse took her through the main lobby to a set of elevators. Growing more apprehensive, Judy followed the mammal in and watched as the floors went by one by one. Never having needed to be in the hospital for anything more than emergency treatment due to the nature of her job, she was unaware of what each floor in the hospital specialized in. Reaching the fifth floor, the doors parted and revealed a sign in front of her that made her heart stop.

"He's this way, Miss Hopps." Numbly following behind, she was only vaguely aware of the nurses gathered giving her sympathetic looks. They had seen enough police officers come through those doors to know that the first ones to visit are always the mammal's partner if not the chief. And since the small bunny did not look like a one ton buffalo, they correctly surmised it was the fox's partner on the force. Knowing how close partner's can get, almost like members of each other's family, they knew it would be a trying time for her to see him in that state.

Walking down the hallway seemed to take a lifetime in the span of ten seconds. Eventually they stopped at a large white door. "You can go in Miss Hopps. He should be awake. Just be mindful of his injuries. He's been through a lot." Nodding to show she understood, Judy pushed the heavy door open and stepped through, letting it swing closed, the latch clicking behind her next to the sign that read 'ICU 26.'

Her eyes adjusting from the bright light of the corridor to the dim light of the room took a few seconds, but she never once lost track of her fox. The huddled mass in the center of the bed seemed so much smaller than she remembered him being, so much more vulnerable. Moving closer, she gazed at how he had curled himself into a ball, still staring and yet unseeing. He looked so defeated, something she never expected to see from him. Mindful of what the nurses had cautioned her about his condition, she hesitated before setting those worries aside and climbed up onto the bed next to him. Gently, she lifted his head and scooted underneath it, cradling it in her lap. Softly stroking his head and remaining ear, she hummed an old lullaby she knew from her childhood, one her mother used to sing her whenever she was ill. Bending down, she whispered to him, keeping her voice as steady as possible. "I'm never going to let you go Nick. Not again. Not ever. Not my fox." Leaning forward just a bit more, she pressed her lips to his forehead. Unseen by the bunny who was now hugging him tightly to her chest, a small flash of life registered in the fox's eye before once again vanishing into nothingness.


	15. Chapter 15 - Silent Vigil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I really hope you are still enjoying the story but I have to warn you, the darkness for these two ain't over. Not by a long shot.
> 
> Disclaimer: The rumors are true! I found Walt Disney's head in a secret cryo-chamber in the basement! You want it back, Disney? Give me the rights to Zootopia. By the way, you really should think about actually turning the cryo-chamber on at some point. These bodies are getting really gross.

For days Judy stayed by his side, refusing to leave his bed for anything more than a bathroom break. The hospital had given up on trying to force her out. None of the staff wanted to approach her about it and calls to the ZPD went ignored. They decided just to bring her food and leave the two of them alone bar the occasional nurse checking on his vitals and injuries. Replacing the uneaten food with fresh more often than not had the staff worried about the doe as well. She would passively refuse to eat until her body would scream at her for food at which point she would devour whatever was in front of her before once again starving herself.

Her unofficial charge had not improved since he had been returned to them. Unable to eat, he got his nourishment from intravenous bags. It was not a long term solution but it was the only thing the hospital could do besides putting in a feeding tube, something they did not want to resort to. They hoped that the smell and presence of food would eventually bring him out of it enough to eat, but if he was unable to for too long they would forced to put the tube in.

Judy had made sure she was keeping her promise to him. She sat for hours each day, cradling his head in her lap while she stroked his fur, sometimes on his head, other times his back, running her soft paws along his body. Humming different melodies until her throat ached became a daily occurrence. She had moved on from being shocked to see his torn ear and blinded eye. They had been able to heal the burn enough so that his eyelids could open again, but his eye was now a milky white, almost almost as if it was made of swirling fog. The scar that ran from a few inches above it down to the line of his muzzle was one that would remain forever. The melted fur had been cut off and the skin was now healing into a sickly pale color, a large and noticeable difference to his original russet color. The other injuries he had sustained were still bandaged over but Judy could see the brands on his chest whenever they changed the bandages.

While the change in his appearance had originally shocked her, she had adapted to them, no longer seeing any. There was one thought and one thought only in her mind. He was her fox and no injury, not anything those monsters had done to him, would ever change that. She loved him with everything that she was. And so, even though he did not seem to see her, did not seem to even realize he was alive, she would lay down with him every night and curl her body along with his. In the day she would interlock their paws and she would whisper into his ear about how much she loved him and how she was so sorry she hadn't told him sooner. All the time they had lost when they could have been together.

Occasionally one of their colleagues would stop by to see if Nick had improved any. His ever present catatonia would dampen their spirits, hoping that their friend had regained some of his past self at least. Any attempts to speak to Judy were useless. The doe had eyes and ears only for her fox. Their visitors rarely stayed for more than a few minutes which suited her just fine. The silence that followed should have felt lonely, but the soft breathing of her fox comforted her.

One of the only regrets she had over the past several days was getting angry with her parents. After calling her multiple times every day, she had finally answered the call if only to stop the incessant ringing. Trying to be patient with her parents who had learned about Nick's torture being broadcasted across Zootopia, she attempted to explain calmly and quietly to them about how he had been returned and how he was now hospitalized. It was when her father demanded she return to Bunnyburrow to avoid the danger and her mother saying she should leave Nick behind and let the doctors take care of him that she chucked her phone against the wall, shattering it. Any further attempts to reach their daughter by calling the hospital had failed. Eventually they had given up, though Judy half expected to see them walk through the door anytime it swung open.

The worst incident had come just a day before. Cautiously walking into the room, Chief Bogo had never seemed so timid to the young rabbit. It should have pleased her to know she had so cowed him but it didn't. She didn't care about his feelings. She didn't care how he had been affected. She had stopped caring about the mammal at all when she had seen that slip of folded paper. The only thing she needed him for anymore was something she had yet to reveal and would only do so when she felt it was time. The buffalo had only remained a few seconds seeing that his fox officer was still incapacitated. He hadn't even dared to spare a glance at the glaring bunny, knowing it would do him more harm than good.

Glancing at the clock, she noted it was nearly time for the both of them to sleep. Laying his head back onto the mattress, she unfolded her legs and extended them alongside his body. Wrapping her arm around him and pulling herself closer into his back, she nuzzled into his fur. "Goodnight, Nick. I love you." Closing her eyes, she let her breathing slow and her body relax. Soon she had drifted off to sleep, the smell of her fox comforting her on her journey. Her mind otherwise preoccupied, she failed to feel the rise of the chest beneath her, to hear the faint breath being drawn in and exhaled, a faint whisper on the air.

"Judy..."

"Please tell me you have something." Having been in an internal battle with himself for days on end, the Chief was desperate for any kind of good news. He had sent Delgato and Wolford out to check an old suspect's home, hoping to find out if he was one of the four mammals responsible. Unfortunately the house hadn't panned out well. His computer was gone, most of his clothes were gone, and given the state the house was in he had left in a hurry. Since then the two officers had been tracking down every lead they had including the suspects from the older case files.

"No sir. Guy's become a ghost. I can't find anyone who has any idea where he is. House is a dead end, his car was left in the garage, there's no way to trace his laptop. He's just...gone." Delgato jumped back as a huge fist came crashing down on the desk.

"DAMMIT!" Knocking over his own chair as he stood, the buffalo strode over the window to stare out. "Are you telling me, with all our resources, all the mammal power at our disposal, we can't find four mammals in this city?"

"Sir. We have a population that vastly outnumbers what the entire force would be able to comb through and the species Nick listed are some of the largest in population. Not to mention we have no idea their age or subspecies or gender. We're working off a sentence Nick was able to give us and that's it. And with the condition he's in, he's unlikely to give us more any time soon, if ever." Both the wolf and lion dropped their heads remembering the sight of their brother in that hospital bed. The only bright light in the fox's life right now had been the gray rabbit sitting guard over him.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Bogo turned back to the pair. Shaking his head, he tried to clear away the emotions raging inside of him. "Alright. We're going back to the beginning. I want that ram's file compared with any others we find dealing with those anti-pred groups. Look for any rabbits that may have been in contact or similar circumstances as this ram. I also want you to comb through all of the reports on the cults for any listings of foxes or wolves involved. Without any further info, that's all we've got. And let's pray it's enough to shut these bastards down before another damn video hits."

It was the next morning before Judy finally saw something that renewed her hope for him to come out of this. To possibly come back to her. Waking with the new day, she stretched her legs out before trying to do the same with her paws only to find one of them pinned. An odd experience, one that hadn't happened in the past week she had spent with him in the room, had her looking down toward her trapped paw. The sight of hers being interlocked with the russet fur of her partner, her friend, her fox had her suddenly soaring. She knew she hadn't reached for his in the night so the only explanation was that he had reached for her.

Slowly, Judy moved her body, carefully climbing over his limp form to see his face. The dark stains on his cheeks told her he had been crying, and steadily too. While the idea of him crying wasn't one to celebrate, the fact that he hadn't reacted in any way before now was. Any sign of emotion was a big step. His eyes were closed, something else that was different. Usually by the time she had risen, he would be awake, his eye back to it's continuous staring. Him being asleep and with what looked like a small smile on the ends of his muzzle had her suddenly elated.

Not wanting to disturb him, she laid back down keeping their paws together and waited to see some sign of life from him. A stir in his body, his paw maybe grasping hers tighter, anything that she could focus on and bring him back. Unwilling to fall back asleep, Judy focused on tracing obscure patterns in his fur. It had been something she would do to pass the time while also getting to feel his fur beneath her paws. It may not seem like much, but it helped to calm her whenever her thoughts would stray to why he was in here and why she had almost lost him.

It was at this time when one of the nurses came by the check on his vitals. The readouts were the same as yesterday, his glucose levels were still declining, and his heart rate was slightly elevated though less than yesterday's which was a good sign she said. She was about to leave when she turned back and looked at the doe. "There's a mammal here that would like to visit if that's okay?" She figured it was another officer stopping by to either gaze at the broken fox or to pretend for her sake that he was going to be just fine. 'Give it a few days and he'll be back in the cruiser with you the next' was the last bullshit line she had been given. Sitting up and sighing heavily, she gave the nurse a nod, hoping it would over and done with quick.

Leaving, the nurse left the door open so the next mammal could walk in. Probably Wolford. He's been here three times already. Maybe Delgato to inform her of their progress. Could always be Fangmeyer. She seemed to like Nick. Just as long as it's not-..."Mom?" An older doe with short ears had stepped through the door. Her eyes, a paler version of the eyes Judy had inherited, seemed fixed on her daughter, but would waver towards the fox on the bed every so often as she made her way into the room.

"Hey honey." Her tone was light and the volume low. To Judy she seemed to want to come across the least threatening as possible which, after the way their last phone call had gone, she probably did. Judy was simply dumbfounded. While she had imagined this happening, never once did she think it actually would.

"Mom. Wha-...What are you even doing here?" Except for the few minutes after she had shattered her phone and the occasional overheard conversation from the nurses about her parents calling the hospital direct, she hadn't given them much thought. They didn't matter to her. They only wanted to make her leave her fox, something not even Nick himself could make her do.

"I...came to see if you would like to come home." That simple statement, one that should be expected from overprotective parents, was not one that should have been uttered. The cold, harsh look she gave her mother chilled the rabbit to her very core. While sometimes a very skittish rabbit, Bonnie Hopps was rarely ever truly afraid unless it had to do with the safety of her kits. The sight of her daughter though was something that did scare her, but not for the reason she expected. She had expected the glare. She had expected the icy reception. She had expected every push back she could think of after their phone call. What was not expected was the underlying fear in her daughter's eyes.

Without saying another word, Bonnie approached the bed and took her daughter's paw in her own. The same look of rage she had seen form moments before was still there, but something else was slowly appearing, pushing aside the anger and hatred she was filled with. In her eyes, the beginning signs of tears were forming. Gently, she pulled her daughter closer, letting the gray doe come to her on her own terms. She saw the hesitation and warring conflict when she had reached the distance she could go without letting go of Nick's paw. Looking around, Bonnie grabbed a bedside chair and hauled it close enough that she could hop onto it and hug her daughter without making her let go.

It was in her mother's arms that Judy finally broke. All of the tears, all of the heartbreak she had been bottling up since she had gotten Nick back, came spilling forth. She had been standing tall and unbreakable, standing against the waves of fear and pain the rest of the city felt, to protect her fox. And all of it was undone by a simple act of a mother's love. She wept uncontrollably on her shoulder. Bonnie stroked her daughter's drooping ears. Her expression, which had gone anywhere from stoic to enraged over the past several days, was now consumed by sorrow.

Unwilling to move for fear her daughter might collapse in on herself again, Bonnie could only look at how she clutched the fox's paw so tightly. They had met her partner on several occasions and, while an amicable fellow, they had a hard time trusting him even with Judy vouching for him after learning about his background. Now though, seeing his body mutilated, vicious cuts and burned flesh marring his once handsome appearance, Bonnie had a better understanding of why her daughter did not want to leave. She wouldn't want to leave if her friend was in this condition either. "He sacrificed himself."

The whispered words from her shoulder, struggling through tears, stunned the old doe. "W-what?"

"Nick." Judy pulled back and looked over at her fox, the sight of his broken form threatening to push her over the edge again. "He sacrificed himself. He made them take him instead."

"Instead? Instead of who, dear?" Turning her gaze back to her mother, the tears silently flowing down her cheeks, she locked their eyes together and spoke in barely more than a whisper.

"Me."

"Dammit!" A flurry of papers flew around the room as a large arm dressed in a blue uniform swept them angrily from the desk. "Nothing! Absolutely nothing." Gripping his head with his claws, Delgato slammed his elbows onto the desk top. "How is it that not a single thing has been found on these guys? No forensics on any of the victims, no paw prints from the crimes scenes, no witnesses in the middle of the day in a public place where they dumped the bodies!"

Strolling up behind him, Wolford started grabbing some of the paperwork off the floor before putting them back on the desk, albeit still jumbled. This is the second time. He can rearrange them himself this time. "Gotta keep a calm head, D. Getting pissed ain't gonna help."

Letting out a low roar, Delgator shoved himself up out of the chair and approached the smaller timber wolf. Planting a claw in his chest, the lion snarled. "Don't tell me what to do. Nick's in that damn room and we're no closer to finding these bastards than we were before he was tortured!"

Feeling himself lose control on his own emotions, Wolford shoved him back, hard enough to nearly send him over the desk. "Don't you talk to me about Nick! I was one of the only friends he had around here for nearly a year! You barely started liking him a few months ago and that was only after he and Hopps nailed that high profile kitnapping case! So don't try and tell me that my friend means all that much to you." Turning on his heel, Wolford headed back to his desk, dropping hard into his chair.

Delgato looked at the papers all over the floor, the mess he had made that his friend had tried to help pick up. His friend. Yes, Wolford was his friend. So why would he have acted like that towards him? He may not have been supportive of Nick when he first joined but he had changed. At least he thought he had. Was Wolford right? Did he only start liking Nick because of the fame he was getting? He shook those thoughts from his head. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about such things. After the case, that's when he could be contemplative. He'll take a week off and go backpacking. Maybe camping. Take some time to find his inner self. But for now, he needed to regain his friend.

"Wolford...Ralph...I'm sorry." The timber wolf cocked an ear in his direction but went no further. Sighing, the lion continued. "I know he's your friend and I didn't mean for it to sound like it probably did. I'm just stressed. This whole case has me on edge and pissed off. And...well let's just say I've been acting like an ass. We've been friends for years and I'd like to think we could be the ones to finish this. Both for our friends and for the city."

Meeting his gaze the charcoal mammal stood and held out his arm. Graciously, the lion clasped it, holding tight. "Now, if we're done with all of this mushy stuff," Ralph said," let's find these bastards."


	16. Chapter 16 - Theories, Threats, and Thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Do I own Zootopia? No. No I do not. But I'm going to. There is a plan in the works. I hired two clown fish, a blue fish with short term memory loss, a jackass octopus, and a absolutely crazy bir-...I'm being informed that that's the plot to Finding Dory. My bad. Alright, five humans with serious tech skills and a robot use nanotech-...Big Hero 6? Seriously? Okay, how about a giant video game cha-...Wreck-It Ralph. Ugh. You know what, I'm just gonna get a gun like a normal person.

Surrounded by candlelight that barely reached into the darkest corners, four mammals in dark robes convened around a stone table. It was one they all knew quite well, having been seated there multiple times before. Sometimes for hours discussing and deliberating. Others it was for a few minutes simply to receive their next set of orders from the Alpha. It was this meeting place that brought them all together with a common goal. To bring back the natural order of life. They all had agreed with some of the steps Bellweather had gone through, but they saw her goals as lacking. Her methods unrefined. It was the goal of every mammal at that table to make their city into the dream they and the Alpha had decided. While most of their meetings had been about their next plan of attack, who to abduct and how they would break their minds, bodies, and spirits, this meeting was impromptu, convened only for necessity.

"This new development with the ZPD could potentially be a problem. Finding out our collective species was not meant to happen this soon."

"Has the Alpha said anything on this matter, Beta?" The soft spoken voice of the smallest member managed to still echo across the stone chamber.

"Alpha has gone silent since the transmission. I am still in communication with him but right now there are no orders being given. Just that we should continue with furthering our goals the way we have been for now."

"Excellent." Gleefully, a red maw released a rasping cackle. "It's been too many days already. I need fresh meat soon." While their goals were in line with each other, all of them having sworn a blood oath to the cause, two of the mammals at the table let out an involuntary shudder. It was not lost on Beta, the largest mammal in attendance.

"On that note, Gamma. The Alpha wanted me to relay a message to you. You have become too bloodthirsty as of late. Your pleas to amputate the fox officer's tail even after Alpha had cemented the plan was out of line and you were out of control." Eyes flashed beneath a dark hood, eyes of hatred and madness.

"The Alpha can decree all he likes. And you can stand there all high and mighty thinking you have or will have power in the new world. But the reality is who will be the hunter and who the hunted. And I am no ones prey." Turning towards the other two mammals, he snapped his jaws causing them to cower back. " _They_ are the prey. Alpha be damned."

Almost in slow motion did he watch as the larger mammal reached behind his back and produced a pistol. As it was readied and aimed at his head. As the safety was released and the trigger pulled. As the flash from the barrel flared in his eyes, the last thing they would ever see. Lead was forced through flesh and bone, piercing the skull and brain matter before tearing a much larger hole through the back of the neck. A spray of crimson misted in the air, coating the floor with droplets of blood rain. The limp and collapsing form slumped forward onto the table, the hood falling back and revealing the blank, staring eyes and loose hanging jaw.

"We need a new Gamma. Check your contacts from your older days. Find someone who believes in our vision. Remember, we need a predator to keep the balance. Go. I will take care of this filth." Watching the two smaller mammals incline their heads and depart from the chamber, Beta lowered his hood revealing black fur and razor-like teeth in the candlelight. "The Alpha's word is law. You swore the blood oath, knowing that to turn away would mean shedding blood. You have done so and are now released from your oath. May that be of some comfort in whatever hell you reside in now." Grabbing one of the mammal's rear paws, the predator dragged the body from the chamber. Blood continued to flow, staining the cobblestone floor in the red life force of a now dead arctic fox.

* * *

Silence had fallen in the room once more, the lack of sound more deafening to the two rabbits than a concert next to their ears. The ragged body laying near them showed no signs of life once more, his paw slackened in the gray doe's grip. All of her attempts to bring him out of it again went unnoticed by the now staring vulpine, his eyes having opened a short while ago. The blinded eye had been something for the mature rabbit to get accustomed to, but it was the sight of the missing ear that had her stomach nearly lurching.

For rabbits, whose ears were a valuable necessity in their daily lives, losing one meant having to experience an avoidance by other rabbits, almost being a pariah of sorts. It was a ridiculous notion, one that many had tried to stamp out of their kits' upbringings, but it would take a couple more generations to fully weed out that mindset completely. That being said, even if it were not a social issue, the loss of an ear was still something very serious for bunnies. Bonnie wasn't sure how much it would affect the red fox beside her daughter but while she didn't expect it to be as serious as a rabbit would be affected, she couldn't imagine it would really be any easier for him to adjust.

Bonnie had spent several hours sitting next to her daughter in the hospital room, being her friend and letting her get out thoughts and emotions out that she had been keeping buried since the whole ordeal had began. It was the closeness she had been keeping with the fox that had her beginning to become suspicious, especially with the way Judy had been talking about his actions and how her eyes would often slide back to look at him. The death grip she had on his paw that was now limp as if daring the world to try and take him again. She decided to put her theory to the test. "Honey, why would he sacrifice himself? I know partners get really close, almost like part of the family, but putting himself through this on the off chance you might be the one chosen...it all just seems very strange for-..." she turned away, a guilty look on her face, even though it was feigned.

"For what, mom? For a _fox_? Is that what you were going to say?! He wouldn't risk his own hide for me because he's a no-good conniving and sly fox?!" Her voice had been steadily rising in anger towards her mother. She was shocked internally at her mother's speciest idea that her partner was anything less than an honorable mammal, especially after all they had been through in the last year. "He did it because he couldn't bear to see me hurt." Fresh tears now wiping away any anger she had been portraying, she struggled on, her voice cracking. "He did it because he loves me." Her voice now merely a whisper, it was still loud enough for her mother to catch.

Bonnie was not very surprised by her daughter's words. There are very few things in the world that a mammal would be willing to put themselves through that level of hell for, and love was the strongest of them all. She knew that spending day in and day out for all that time would be more than enough for the fox to fall for her daughter, but the question she now needed an answer to, was how did she feel in return. "Do you love _him,_ hon?"

Judy was hastily wiping away her tears, wanting to appear stronger than she felt when her mother's question reached her quivering ears. Her eyes no longer on her mother, she missed the sad smile on her face as she froze where she sat. Trembling, Judy turned towards the older doe. Her voice had not been harsh. It had not been accusatory. It had not been angry or disappointed or upset. Instead it had been curious and kind. The slight sadness in her words had not been about her decision, but rather what she had been needing to face because of it. And her smile was not one of a parent who felt their child was making a mistake. No. It was one of compassion and understanding. It made Judy break down all over again, the freshly dried eyes brimming and overflowing with tears.

She nodded emphatically, displacing all doubts that she may be unsure of herself or what she was feeling. The gray rabbit was never more sure of anything that this was her fox and she was his bunny. "Yes. I love him. With everything that I am, I truly do mom."

Reaching out to her, her smile now wider though still tinged with sadness, Bonnie clutched her daughter's paw tightly. "Then I am both happy for you and Nick, though I am sorry for what you two will need to face after this horrific experience." Looking at the catatonic mammal next to them, her smile started to fade, consumed further by an aching heart for him. "I'll leave you two alone. I'll be in town for the next two days if you need me." Kissing the gray rabbit on her cheek, Bonnie hopped down from the chair and headed towards the door. Turning back just before leaving, she fixed her daughter with a serious stare. "Come home, Bun Bun. Once Nicholas is able to leave, bring him home. Some fresh country air and a more loving environment will do him more good than that dreary hospital bed."

* * *

The officers in charge of the investigation were growing more and more frustrated as the lack of leads caused all of their theories to dry up. There simply was not enough evidence to gain any insight into who the perpetrators were nor where they were working out of. The only thing they had to work from was the fact that Officer Wilde's experience had been different from the rest.

"I'm telling you, something is fishy with how they treated Nick." Delgato sat back in his chair, pinching his nose and squeezing his eyes shut.

Wolford looked over at him with disdain. "Treated? How they _treated_ him? You make it sound like a day spa. They fucking _tortured_ him."

"I know what they di-! Ugh. We're doing it again." Now outright massaging his temples against the onslaught of his headache, Delgato sighed heavily, planting his elbows on the desk. "We gotta keep or heads, Ralph. This isn't going to help anyone if we're constantly at each other's throats."

The wolf looked pitifully at his friend. They both had been putting in so many long days that they were exhausted. Wolford wasn't faring too well, having been unable to sleep, often staring at the ceiling in his bedroom trying to go over anything they may have overlooked. Delgato had been far worse off. The case had become his obsession. When he wasn't in his seat or staring at the white board they had loaded with suspicions and the few facts they could determine, he was stretched out on the unused gurneys in the infirmary.

"Alright, let's take a step back. What were you saying about Nick's... _experience_ being different than the rest?"

"Well let's look at it." Standing up, Delgato moved over to one of the boards they had been using. "First off, what do we know about the perps? Besides the fact that they wear dark hoods and are fucked in the head." Striking a paw against each victim's photo he then pointed to screenshots of the videos. "Every single one was given a vote by popular opinion on whether they die or are mutilated. Wilde? Wilde wasn't given an option. He was intead subjected to mutilation and psychological trauma. What makes him special?"

Tapping a claw against his desk, Wolford looked thoughtful. "Maybe it's because he's a cop? Killing one would bring too much heat?"

"Maybe. But they already have proven they can't be traced. The only background we have on one of them was a complete ghost. No something else is going on. And what about the fact that he was a cop to begin with? Torturing a cop on live stream across the city would not be that much different than killing one."

"Alright. I'll admit it. You've piqued my curiosity."

Grinning at his partner, glad he was on board with his newest realizations, even if he wasn't sure himself if they lead to anything. "Then we both agree that there's something there, even if we're not quite sure what it is. There's just one more thing that I can't figure out though. With the fact that Nick was able to determine their species, plus that he is a cop and would most likely focus on gathering clues, why would they let him go? Why wouldn't they kill him if he could possibly hold the keys to figuring out who these bastards are." Turning back to the board, Delgato's eyes bored into it. "They seem determined to make him to suffer. This is personal to someone. The question is who. And why."

* * *

Judy did not know how long she slept for. After all the days of not eating and barely resting, she knew she was bound to pass out eventually and it looked as if had finally happened. Opening her eyes, she took comfort in that she hadn't left her fox, her head still laying on his back, the rising and falling of his breathing comforting her frayed nerves. She was still a nervous wreck even if she tried to portray otherwise. She had been contemplating her mother's offer to bring Nick down to the farm to relax once he was able to leave. She knew it was a good idea for him to get out and experience life again and in a calming and loving atmosphere like her childhood home, she could think of nowhere better.

Grimacing at the newest tray of food brought in while she was sleeping, she nudged the table away with her foot before sitting up. It wasn't that she was refusing food to be stubborn or in revulsion. She simply did not feel like eating and couldn't even bring herself to bite into it for the sake of staying alive. Her misery was consuming her piece by piece the longer her fox was in his condition.

It should have felt alien to her, to be nestled against an animal so different from herself. One whose ancestors used to rip apart her own and devour them. His scent should fill her with fear, yet there was no place on this Earth she more safer than nestled up next to her fox. His claws and teeth she knew would be used to protect her, never to hurt her. Knew that he would sacrifice himself a thousand times over to keep her from harm as she would do for him. If she could have swapped places with him in that chamber she would have done so in a heartbeat.

Leaning over to peek on his condition to see him unchanged, Judy felt herself sink a little deeper into despair. The only sign she had seen that might hint at him coming back to her was a small squeeze of a paw which had only lasted seconds. She would cling to that memory, keep it safe so that she would never forget why she was keeping a silent vigil. Hopping down from the bed regretfully, she headed for the bathroom, needing to tend to some problems of nature. It was truly the only thing that could make her leave her fox and she tried to make it as quick as possible so as not to be away too long.

It was walking back and wringing her wet paws that she felt the eyes upon her. An instinctual reaction that a predator had caught her in his gaze and that she needed to flee to preserve her life. Cautiously Judy raised her head, staring straight at the animal laying in front of her. The towel fell from her paw and she felt her knees nearly collapse. For the emerald eye of a bedridden fox stared at her, focused and unwavering for the first time since the night she almost lost him.

Staggering towards him slowly, barely daring to breathe as if a sudden move or sound might cause him to retreat back in on himself, Judy stepped quietly. Though he did keep his gaze trained on her, his form did not move. Not the twitch of a paw or a flick of his tail. His remaining ear was motionless. Only for the breath exiting him in short puffs and his eye tracking her told her he was alive. Reaching the bed, she hauled herself up and crawled towards him. "Nick?" He did not speak. He didn't make a noise of any kind except to breathe.

Putting her paw out, she tenderly stroked his head as she had done so many times recently. Only when she had cradled his head and placed it in her lap once more did he break, a whine escaping his throat while his whole body trembled. She had never seen him so vulnerable. "I'm right here, Nick. I'm not going to leave you. Not a soul on this earth will be able to drag me away." Taking a deep breath, she whispered quietly into his undamaged ear. "I love you too much to ever lose you again." Cuddling up to her fox once more, she let herself bathe in his scent, before pulling herself closer, intertwining her digits in his fur, softly petting his tail to help him relax.

"I love you, too."


	17. Chapter 17 - Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Alright, here's another chapter for you all! Hopefully this will tide you over until I can get some more inspiration for this tale. I just wish it was longer.
> 
> Disclaimer: Did you know The Little Mermaid wasn't inspired by true events? Wth Disney! What a rip. At least one day I'll get to meet the talking mice from Cinderella. Oh and I don't own Zootopia yet. I got lazy. Canceled my plans. Watched all of Netflix. That's right. ALL of it.

The words were said softly, almost a whisper, spoken from lips that had not made a sound in a very long time. Were she not a rabbit, they would have gone completely unnoticed. Even still, Judy was not immediately sure what she had heard was real. For days she had tricked herself into thinking she heard his voice, made her believe he had come out of his shell for her, just to be with her again. And each time she had felt bitter disappointment that it was merely her mind playing games with her fragile state of being.

Now though, even as soft-spoken as they were, they were clear. She had heard him this time, she was sure of it. Slowly moving around his body, hoping to see his sly smile once more grace his lips, she was disappointed once again. He was still unmoving, his lips still closed, and his eye-... _his eye._ Judy was unable to look away as the life that had gone out the minute they had locked him in that muzzle had suddenly started coming back. There was a glint in his eye once more. It was not the mischievous or playful one she had grown to love, but it was something nonetheless.

"Nick?" She could not stop the hopeful whisper slipping from her lips, knowing that he may not even be able to hear her. Licking her chapped lips, she raised her voice slightly. "Nick? Are you in there?" This time, rather than seeing her and keeping his gaze on her, he actively sought her out, moving his eyes until he could focus on the doe in front of him, the milky white of the one forever destroyed seeming to pierce her soul. A tiny jerk of his head, a single almost imperceptible nod, had her weeping. Throwing herself around his neck, she began crying. "Oh Nick! I thought I'd lost you forever."

"I'm...sorry..." The words were no louder than before but to Judy it was if he had shouted from the rooftops. The silence in that room, while comforting in that it meant they weren't disturbed, had also been terrifying, knowing that if Nick was at all like himself there would be jokes and laughter, innuendos and light flirting, though recently it had taken on a more heavy and serious tone and it had taken the worst night of both of their lives for them to realize why.

"Don't be, Nick. This wasn't your fault. None of it was. You were protecting me." Giving him a pointed but playful stare, she tried to express the feelings she had inside while still protecting his inner self. "Don't ever try to protect me again you stupid, dumb, lovable fox." Gently taking his paw into her own, she carefully brought it to her lips. "I couldn't bear to lose you." Her tears seeped onto his fur, turning the russet orange almost a dark red. "I love you, Nicholas Wilde."

The edges of the fox's lips twitched, almost as if trying to make himself smile but could not bring himself to embrace it. "You...bunnies..." Each word seemed to drain him of the small amount of energy he had left. Unwilling to let him drift away, Judy forced a smile onto her own lips to continue one of his favorite bits of banter.

"Are we emotional? Yes. Yes we are." This time his lips nearly did manage a small smile. But all too soon they fell back down, his face becoming expressionless once more. Judy began to worry and stared into his brilliant emerald orb, hoping to see that spark still in there. It was, but it was fading. He was withdrawing once more. Perhaps it was the physical pain. Or the emotional trauma. Horrific memories. Whatever it was, it was making her lose him again. "Nick! No please Nick. Please stay here. Stay with me." Her tears were coming in full force now as she pressed her forehead to his, silently willing to make him remain.

"Doe..." The voice was strained, even quieter than before. It was costing him every last bit of strength he had but it seemed vitally important to him. Something that needed to be said before he faded away back into a prison of his own making.

"What? What about a doe?" Judy was fighting an internal battle, pitting her emotional self versus her professional one. Something was telling her to ignore her feelings, focus on what he was saying. If it was important enough to use his last bit of energy to relay it, she would respect that and wait for him to emerge again later.

"The rabbit...it...was...a doe..." With that final word, the light in his eye went out, becoming as lifeless as the one she would never again see glint with playfulness or wink conspiratorially. His body once again becoming still, his face taking on the blank look he had worn for so long as his mind tried to repair itself. She felt more tears flow, dotting his fur and soaking her own.

"Ever the cop, Nick." Keeping a tight hold on his paw, she rubbed her cheek along it, reveling in the softness. She had never appreciated just how it felt against her. All of those times he tussled her ears, all of the stray brushes against her fur 'to get the crumbs out' he would say. They went unappreciated until now. _Why did it have to take_ this _for us to finally make it happen? Why couldn't we-...No. Why couldn't_ I _have been smart about this that night? Why did I have to be the guarded one of the partnership right then? Maybe this never would have happened._ Shaking herself from her thoughts, Judy brought out her cell phone and scrolled through the contacts before choosing one and pressing the screen. It rang only a couple of times before the other end was picked up.

_"Detective Wolford speaking."_

"Wolford. Hopps-

_"Judy? Is everything alright? Is it Ni-"_

"Nick says the rabbit you're looking for is a doe."

_"Nick said? Does that mean he's awake?! Ju-"_

Having already lowered the phone, Judy keyed the end call button. The investigation was important to them, not to her. The only thing of any importance to her lay in her lap. Lowering her head down to his, she whispered into his ear. "I'll be right here when you return, Nick. When you come back to us. To _me."_ Planting a light kiss on his nose, being careful to avoid the gash and the branding mark, she stroked his ear before laying down next to him. For the first time, she fell asleep with a modicum of hope.

* * *

_"Nick says the rabbit you're looking for is a doe."_

"Nick said? Does that mean he's awake?! Judy-," the wolf was desperate for answers about his friend but the rabbit officer had already hung up. The Timber Wolf could only stare at the phone in his paw. He knew she was hurting and she had every right to be. The mammal she loved more than life itself had been brought to the edge of death, and then, when she finally found him, he had been lost inside his own mind.

It seemed to be more than just that though, he mused. Ever since the night he was taken, the bunny had changed. Not just the depression. No. There was an underlying level of anger beneath the surface. A feeling of wrath that emanated from her that kept all others at bay. Surprisingly though, it seemed to be focused on Chief Bogo. Those who had seen the fury in her eyes she leveled at the Chief the night Nick had been tortured would not have been surprised to see her try to throw him over the third floor balcony. The two had been relatively close for a long time. They all knew she was his favorite officer even if wouldn't admit it. But these days she looked at him with contempt and he looked at her with sadness.

It was not the time to dwell on such matters, though. Not with four murdering psychopaths loose in the city.

"What was that about?" Wolford turned to his partner whose head was buried in one of the several dozen files they had scooped up from archives trying to find a link to one of the suspects. "Hopps said Nick was awake?" Lifting his head, Delgato caught sight of his friend's weary expression. "What is it, Ralph?"

"Judy told me that Nick said we're looking for a doe. She didn't answer me about Nick being awake and then she hung up on me." Finally feeling it all catch up to him, he collapsed in a chair, his knees wobbling dangerously. "I know she's upset but she could at least tell me how my friend is doing." Dropping his pen to mark his place, Delgato stood and moved over to the wolf's side.

"Hey bud. She's got it rough right now, we know that. I've never seen her break like this before. I don't think anyone has. The two were as close as friends could be."

"They were more than that, D." The lion rolled his eyes at the rumor he'd heard floating around the office for days now.

"Don't tell me you buy into the whole 'fox and rabbit fall in love' crap. That's just some nonsense Ben keeps floating around hoping one day it will be true." Slightly amused at his ignorance, Wolford simply tapped his nose and gave his friend a wry smile. Giving his partner a sarcastic clap, Delgato shoved him up off the chair. "Yes, yes. We're all super impressed with your schnoz. Now help me over here. You said it's a doe? Let's cross reference our prey-supremacist ram with any does that may have belonged to his groups."

* * *

Viewing the sight of two officers, one damaged beyond imagining and the second curled protectively around him, a large cape buffalo stood silent, peering through the glass as cautiously as he could, not wanting to bring the rabbit's ire down upon him. He was not afraid of her physically but what she held over him could destroy his career. Possibly even end with him in prison. A momentary weakness, a single lapse in judgment, had the Chief of police's future in the palm of a rabbit who hated him with every fiber of her being.

If it had been simple blackmail, Bogo would not have stood for it. But this was different. He felt he deserved it. He endangered his officer's life simply because an impossible decision had been made by someone else and cleared him for the responsibility of dealing with it. He could never forgive himself for what had happened and he didn't really expect either of his officers to. All he could do was work to solve this case and end the threat to the city. He would try to mend fences after that was done. The citizens of their city was more important than friendships.

"Chief Bogo?" The mammal was snapped out of his thoughts by a gentle tug on his sleeve. Bemusedly he looked down to see a middle-aged beaver in a lab coat gazing up at him expectantly.

"Yes. Doctor Branch. How is he doing? There doesn't appear to be any change to his condition." Bogo had not been in every day but this was his third visit that week. Nick had remained the same each time leading the buffalo to think his healing time may be extended by quite a lot.

"He came out of his catatonic state for a very short time according to officer Hopps." Looking through the window at his patient, the beaver stared with sad eyes before shaking his head. "Officer Wilde's injuries are extensive. Far worse than the other mammals we have seen tortured by these... _beasts._ " The last was said with a strong amount of venom in the mammal's voice. "His claws have been ripped from his digits all the way to the root. We'll eventually have to put in artificial ones but we must wait until his paws have healed. The same will need to be done with the fang that was also forcibly torn out. Multiple lacerations and stab wounds. Six cracked ribs and four broken bones in his left ankle. Though his ear was..." Grimacing, the doctor took a few seconds to compose himself. "Though his ear was _removed_ the actual inner workings were left intact so he will retain his full hearing. His eyes are a different matter." Looking up from his notes and to his patient behind the glass, the doctor, Bogo noted, gave the vulpine a look of pity. "The right eye suffered no damage, but he is permanently blind in the left one. The heat from the metal burned everything but the outside of the eyeball itself, hence the milky white color. I can't even begin to theorize on the psychological damage done to him by that muzzle."

"What about the scarring, doctor? Will he heal without scar tissue taking over?" Many grizzled law enforcement officers had scars from their days on the streets. Detectives as well. Bogo had a few of his own including a gunshot wound to his lower left of his abdomen. Nick however was damaged extensively and for both the vulpine's sanity and Hopps' sensitivity he hoped they would not have to deal with such a disfigurement.

The beaver sighed heavily, this time sending the look of pity Bogo's way. "Chief, your officer has been through a lot but he has much more to come. If any of these heal without causing scars I will be ecstatic, but the brands will most definitely leave behind deep tissue scarring as well as preventing new fur from growing back to hide them. The stab wounds, if they leave any, will be small, but the areas where his flesh was cut away will definitely be unsightly during the healing process."

Bogo kept his eyes on the two young mammals behind the glass and spoke softly, not knowing that his words would be heard. "I just hope Hopps can handle it."

"From what I've seen, sir, that doe is the last mammal you need to worry about leaving him."


	18. Chapter 18 - New Developments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm thrilled to have been able to give you a few chapters recently to continue this story. I hope that continues. You all have been very patient with me and also very supportive and I appreciate both. So now, let's get to what we've all been waiting for...
> 
> Disclaimer: So I was in the waiting room, in line to meet with the Disney board of directors to barter for rights to Zootopia and I got a little tired. Fell asleep. Woke up about 36 hours later on a bed in a tower with some really disgusted dude looking at me. Apparently one of the janitors moved me to the prop bed and the guy playing the prince to rescue Sleeping Beauty didn't get the memo they had moved to stage B. Not my proudest make out moment but at least he was handsome.

A detective's job was to search for clues. Sniff out leads. Find what could not be found by others. It was a job suited for the best of officers, those who have spent years being a beat cop to where they had learned the lessons needed to exceed where others might lay stagnant. It was a difficult career path filled with ridiculous hours, mediocre pay, and more victims than they would ever want to see in their lifetime. There were cases that flowed like a gentle stream, everything smoothly falling into place. Other times it mirrored a raging river, everything being tossed around until 'up' was no longer a matter of direction but a matter of hopeful wishing. For Detectives Delgato and Wolford, the torture cult case was akin to whitewater that disappeared over a ten story waterfall to smash on the rocks below.

"This is driving me _insane!_ " Delgato was not the most patient of predators nor as an asset to the ZPD. His temper flared too high and he often had difficulty focusing on cases that hit too close to home. However, his drive was unparalleled and he would sink every fiber of his being into an investigation until it was closed. Wolford knew for a fact that the lion had a den that he had turned into a miniature crime lab that he would pour over cold case files when not on a current one. He was worried it would drive his friend to an early grave.

"D. Gotta calm down, man. We're not gonna have any luck flying off the handle like this." Though he tried to sound reassuring, the timber wolf was quickly finding the end of his patience as well. For two days they had scoured every packet of information they could find on the prey supremacist movements their ram suspect had been involved in looking for some sort of female rabbit connection. Most of the arrest records on does involved with the groups all showed they were still serving their sentences in prison which ruled them out as suspects. Still others were confirmed dead having been involved attacks on predator groups of the same mentality. They had also been forced to utilize methods that took large amounts of time, further trying their resolve.

Most of the records of the groups had not been digitized. As large as the files were it, it was not surprising they had passed over for being input into the computer. It would take days for several officers to get all the data input. As such, they had to go through each file one by one, marking down the names and info they found on any does matching the requirements of being associated with their ram suspect. By the end of the second day they had come up with five possibilities which, after a significant amount of digging, had been narrowed down to three. One had left the country two years prior and the other was killed in a drunk driving accident. As for the remaining suspects, one lived in city central and would be easy to interview, the other two were off the grid, much like their ram suspect had been.

"Money's on one of the ones gone dark. It's too much of a coincidence that their life would suddenly disappear much like this 'William Cotton'." Wolford couldn't help himself and rolled his eyes at his friend's comment.

"Of course you would bet that. It's like 10,000:1 against it being the one in the city. But we still have to go and check it out. Could still give us some sort of info we may be missing." Grabbing his coat, Wolford headed out from their office. "C'mon partner. We have a rabbit to interrogate."

"Yeah. A rabbit who used to be part of a 'Prey First' speciest movement being approached by two predators with sharp teeth and ten times her size." Delgato grabbed his own coat and hurried out. _This is gonna be interesting._

* * *

Walking up the cobblestone path, the two mammals found themselves struggling with the ideal family home they saw in front of them. Neatly clipped grass, kids toys and a few bikes scattered over the yard. Even a stereotypical white picket fence surrounded the property. It was all a little too perfect for their tastes though it was merely an oddity, not anything that raised suspicion in them. Traversing the many toys laying haphazardly across the walkway, the detectives approached the bright yellow door, a slight smirk on the wolf's muzzle with how cheerful it all seemed. _Far cry from what this family mammal was doing in the past,_ he mused, wondering if this was proof that all mammals have the capability to change.

A clawed paw reached forward and rapped lightly on the door, though for the family inside it may have seemed like a cannon going off each time. They heard a sweet voice from inside call out, "Coming!" before they heard the soft patter of hindpaws and the turning of the handle in front of them. The door swung wide to reveal a grayish-brown doe in a pink cotton shirt and light blue jeans. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of the two predators on her doorstep. Delgato didn't miss that her eyes widened even further at the sight of the two badges hanging from chains around their neck. "Oh! Um. Can I help you?"

"Good morning, Miss Leaperson-" Wolford began before being cut off.

"Twitchery. Rachel Twitchery. I haven't been Rachel Leaperson for about seven years now." Two young kits raced beside her and out into the front yard, each trying to outrun the other to the bikes laying in the dirt. "Bobby! Stop trying to trip your brother! Dennis if I see you try to bite him again you're not going to your friend's birthday party!" Turning back to the detectives she gave them an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that. How can I help you-...?"

"I'm Detective Delgato. This is Detective Wolford. We're here investigating the recent... _crimes_ that have been plaguing the city. The news stations have been reporting it as well as the live broadcast of our colleague being, um, injured. We're looking for any information we might be able to find that could help us bring this group down."

"Oh yes. I remember that night all too well. That poor fox." Shaking her head, she had a pained look on her face before turning her gaze back up to the feline. "Why come to me though?"

"We found some information on the perpetrators that led us to some anti-pred and prey supremacists groups you were a part of." Realization dawned on the doe while at the same time a sad look came into her eyes.

"I can see where you are going with this, detective. I joined those groups because my boyfriend at the time was a bigot and a speciest and I was dumb and thought I was in love. I followed him into that life and I am embarrassed to say I found myself caught up in it." She glanced away trying to hide the ashamed look on her face though both of the mammals caught it. "Getting swayed to a certain logic that lays right on the line of fact and falsehood is unfortunately all too easy when you're a teenager who thinks they know how the world works." Gathering herself, the doe gave each of them a hard look, unwavering in her stance. "I'm sorry, detectives. But I'm not the one you want for information. I left that life behind long ago and honestly I didn't pay enough attention even when I _was_ there. Looking back it just...it makes me sick to think about how I was back then."

They bid the doe goodbye and headed back to their car. They were talking in hushed voices that neither the doe nor the kits would pick up on before climbing into the vehicle and heading out. Keeping her eyes on them until they had disappeared at the end of the road, Rachel turned her eyes to her kits and smiled fondly, thinking about how much she wanted to keep them from a world like that.

* * *

Letting himself be consumed by darkness and shadow, the black wolf moved swiftly in his hunt. Having spent many an hour combing the city, Beta had encountered several candidates that fit their goal of spreading fear and despair to the city. They would not be denied the culmination of their quest to rid the city of this plague of 'tolerance' and 'friendship.' It was all lies built on the perversion of their world's history. Predator and prey were not to be friends. Were not to be lovers. They were meant to be opposite sides of Nature's coin.

Releasing the controls on his instincts, Beta picked up the scent of his current hunt. A zebra he had seen interacting closely with a tiger, the two seemingly to be friends, close ones at that. This was the time he lived for. Being on the prowl for his next target. Using the tools and abilities Nature gave to him. Living as the predator he was meant to be. As the scent grew stronger, the wolf slowed his pace, not wanting to reveal his presence. He was certain they were just around the next bend and he quickly set off down the alley next to him, quickly taking two left turns to beat the mammal to the next street. To his satisfaction, the zebra was currently with the predator that he was sure now sealed the equine's fate.

Concealing himself to the shadows as much as possible, Beta emerged onto the street and stalked the pair of mammals in front of him. They were both guilty of the same offense. Prey and predator intermingling as friends. The wolf realized he had two options on targets now. It would be down to him to determine if they would go after the tiger or the zebra. Either way, he had a suspicion that there would be a few stripes that would be carved from the victim, an image that brought a maniacal grin to the wolf's muzzle. He was not as bloodthirsty as the previous Gamma who had needed to be eliminated on Alpha's rule and Beta's action, but he still gained some satisfaction at punishing those that would defy their very nature for some false sense of 'cooperation.'

Mulling over his choices, Beta decided on the zebra. Prey videos got far more of a reaction which is something they wanted. It was also reaching out to a new demographic as they had not done anything from the equine family yet. Instilling fear to a new species, showing that they are not immune to the rule of Nature. Memorizing the zebra's unique smell, Beta settled in for a night of tracking, learning the route the beast would take home and mentally preparing for the taking the next night.

* * *

During difficult times it was the duty of the Chief to stand tall and support their officers. It was an honor to serve as Chief of Police. It took dedication, perseverance, and great sacrifice. One had to be strong of body, mind, and spirit. Able to withstand the greatest forces that was thrown at the city. Chief Bogo was once such a mammal. In recent days however, he was finding it more difficult each day to remain so. His guilt was eating at him, slowly draining him of his will. No one knew of what horror was affecting him, save for two officers that he had ultimately destroyed their lives in exchange for a lesser weight upon his shoulders. A weight that now had moved to his soul. Everytime he viewed the maimed body of his fox officer, a little more of his despair chipped away at his spirit. Every glare from the rabbit he had wronged so many times gnawed at his sanity. He knew this case had to end soon so he could begin to mend himself before he was lost to the growing depression within.

He was able to hide his deterioration from the force, thankfully. All but one. The one who knew him best and the longest. The one who was never afraid to get his paws dirty or confront the storm. And it was that one that stood outside the door, knocking gently on the glass. Bogo lifted his head, taking a look at the silhouette behind the door, though he already knew who it was. Composing himself and straightening his form, he quickly put on the Gazelle app to make it appear he was simply taking a break to recharge. "Come in, Clawhauser."

Through the door stepped the portly dispatch officer. Where many saw the bubbly face of the unofficial ZPD greeter, the mammal always with a smile and a fresh piece of gossip, Bogo knew the truth. Under the cheerful demeanor lay a cheetah who could read mammals the way no one, not even Nick Wilde could. He knew everything about everyone simply by observing them for a very short time. His character was not an act. He truly was a very cheerful cat and loved helping others and making their day better. Only Bogo and McHorn, the two remaining officers from his time on active duty, who knew where his real talents lay. And it was this very talent, the one that drove him to give up being a patrol cop for a desk job, that Bogo felt himself pinned by.

"Chief. What is going on? And don't give me the 'I'm busy' speech. I know you just turned that app on to avoid me. There is a storm brewing in this office and I want to know what is happening before I get stuck dealing with the pieces." It was almost frightening how fast he could adopt a commanding position. The Chief had never been one to feel intimidated by the overweight cheetah, but with everything happening recently it was becoming more and more difficult to stand his ground, especially against someone who knew him so well.

"Clawhauser. _Ben._ This isn't something you want to get dragged into. Trust me."

"Oh I can believe it. I've seen the horrendous depressed look you get on your mug whenever you look at Nick. And the slight tremble of fear whenever Judy catches your eye. This is more than just what happened to Nick on that broadcast and you are going to tell me." Looking at the pitiful buffalo in front of him, Clawhauser felt awful for pressuring him into giving him answers but he had a feeling that if they could not get this resolved and soon, it could shake apart the ZPD. And with mammals being terrorized by this 'Nature' cult, that was one thing the city could not afford.

Looking up at the piercing gaze of one of his closest friends, Bogo relented, knowing it could end that very friendship that he secretly held quite dear. Pulling out a scrap of paper from his drawer, he sighed heavily. "Close the door and sit down. Now what this is about _can not_ leave this room. Do you understand?"

* * *

It was as if waking from a dream. No. Not a dream. A nightmare. Filled with screams. The scent of blood overpowering him, making his head spin. _Where is the pain coming from? Why do I hear the yelps and whines as if they were coming from my own throat?_ Eyelids flickered and opened, revealing an orb of brilliant green and one the pale white of a full moon. He could not understand why his vision was half dark. Closing one plunged both eyes into shadow causing a mild panic to flow through him. His paw felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds as hard as it was to lift, though he managed to raise it high enough to run his digits over the affected eye. He could feel no damage but his search for answers was not in vain.

Letting his paw slowly slide downwards, finding it too heavy to keep lifted up, the trailing fur found a jagged edge on his skin. It felt strange. Hard on the very top but still soft and painful underneath. _My flesh. Why is my skin raised like this?_ His memories were still locked away from him. He could tell he was in a hospital, that much was obvious. He just could not remember why. Running his paw back over the area, he discovered it went higher than he previously thought. Tracing it upwards, he could tell it started at the top of his cheek and began climbing. Once it reached the bottom of his eyelid, he realized his fear was coming true. The sharp edge of the raised tissue continued up and along several inches above his eye. While one digit ran over the raised edge, another accidentally brushed a second line parallel to the one he was examining. There was a groove in between them. That was when Nick started to panic.

Wildly glancing around, he saw the corner of a mirror showing from the bathroom door. He was consumed with one goal in that moment: get to the mirror. He had to know what was wrong. Why his body felt...off. _Different_. What had happened to him? Had he been in an accident? Did he get cut during a fight? All he knew right then was that the truth was one door swing away. Yet something held him back. A small voice within telling him that he was making a mistake. That what he _wanted_ to see would not be waiting for him on the back of that door. That he needed to wait. Needed to approach this calmly. But the paralyzing fear that was creeping up on him was too strong. He _needed_ to know. And so he swung the door closed.

And looked on in horror at the image staring back at him. His breath caught in his throat as his eyes... _No,_ he corrected himself. _Not eyes. Eye. That is no longer an eye. It mocks me as if it was the ghost of one._ The milky white color, the almost swirling pale smoke appearance, was as disconcerting as it was terrifying. The mark that ran across it even more so. Several inches of fur and flesh had been burned away, leaving behind a rounded indentation, a channel that had pushed away the skin and cauterized the rest. He was not surprised he could not see out of the ruined orb. He was surprised it hadn't simply burst under whatever sort of tool had burned away half his sight and maimed part of his face.

If that had been all of it, Nick might have believed he had been in an industrial accident. Maybe got caught in a fire or had been trapped inside a burning car for a short while. That is, if that had been all. His gaze swept over the scab on the end of his nose, when his head suddenly split open, a rush of an image piercing through of a knife sliding along the sensitive skin, tearing it open. Of the taste and smell of blood poring into his throat having made him throw up. Coming back to the present, Nick found himself dry heaving onto the floor. _Dammit, get a hold of yourself, Wilde!_ Pushing himself back to his feet, he forced himself to look upon his body once more. A second burn mark that removed fur and scarred flesh ran along the upper side of his muzzle, but this was only vaguely recognized as the eye scanned north. _My ear_... Gone. Tattered skin and hanging flesh beneath white gauze was all that remained.

It all became too much for the tod. Memories started pouring back in, rushing him all at once, overwhelming his ability to comprehend. The sight of a torture chamber. The smell of a morgue. A sharp stabbing pain at his side was strong enough he truly believed he would see a blade sticking into him, only to see a cloth bandage over the exact area. Yet he could also see the knife plunging into his side, blood slowly draining out, making his fur matte, his reddish color darkening further. A flash of searing hot metal cooking his flesh darted across his eyes. Putting his paws to his chest, noting the extensive amount of bandages wrapped around his torso, Nick feared that he knew exactly what lay underneath. That he had known all this time that it was real and not just the nightmare he had been trying to convince himself wasn't.

Hesitating only for a moment, he went to rip the cloth free and bare his chest. To see the awful burns marking him for life. To see the shield he had loved turned on him and branded in a reverse image where his real one would normally hang. His paws grabbed the offending covering and made to tear it away, but his strength had waned over the past two weeks. He was malnourished and starving. He flexed his paw ready to use his claws to assist him when another memory surged forward. Claws being slowly torn out, one by one, until nothing remained. They would never grow back. It was then he looked in the mirror and truly saw what he was. _Bruised. Stabbed. Maimed. Mutilated. Scarred! BURNED!_ Grabbing up the nearest tray, he threw it at the glass with all the strength he still possessed. The shattering mirror and the clang of the steel tray on the floor did nothing to help his increasing rage and spiraling depression. "MONSTER!" Though it was in pieces, the broken images of the foxes face still shone through.

Slowly backing away, his eye darting wildly for a way to hide himself, Nick failed to notice two gray ears that had appeared over a small collection of pillows laying on the bed he had woken up on. He was oblivious to all as his back hit the wall and he slumped to the floor, muttering to himself all the while. "Monster. Monster. I'm nothing but a monster now."

Two gray paws landed lightly in front of him, eyeing him with great concern. "Nick? Nick are okay? You're not a monster. You're not." Almost as is she were a ghost, he stared unseeing through her to where the mirror once hung.

"Monster. She could never love me, now. I'm damaged. Broken. Useless." So wrapped up in his own misery, he jumped in surprise when two strong paws grasped his own, careful not to put pressure on the bandaged areas. One paw left to cup his cheek and bring his gaze to hers.

"You're not a monster, Nick. You're my fox. And I love you so very much." She leaned in and softly pressed her lips to his, not seeing the surprised look and wide-eyed expression on his face.

"C-...Carrots?" His shock was evident. Whether he was unsure if what he was seeing was a dream or if he had truly gone mad, he didn't want to wake from wherever he was now. "Is...Is this...real?" Hearing the sorrow in his words and the hopefulness in his voice nearly broke her heart once more.

"Yes, sweetie. It's real. I'm here." Crawling onto lap, mindful of staying off of the most painful areas, she wrapped her arms around him. After a moment, his arms encircled her, his tail wrapping around them. "And I am never letting you go again."


	19. Chapter 19 - Progression, the Good & the Bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A/N: "Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light." - Dumbledore  
> Sorry Albus, but darkness is only beginning to spread...
> 
> Disclaimer: Disney executives held up my story torturing Nick as reason for not giving me the rights to Zootopia. I held up their children's movie and told them they turned almost 30 mammals insane and willing to eat each other by a psychotic sheep that sicced a fox on a bunny. They simply remarked 'Touche' before we resumed negotiations.

If ever there was a strange sight, it would be that of a cape buffalo slumped over, looking pitifully morose in an easy chair. A glass of amber liquid in his hoof, Chief Bogo stared unseeingly into the dark room in from of him, his mind swirling with turmoil about the past few weeks. The increasing amount of guilt within him seemed to only be silenced by a stiff drink and the comfort of his wife, who was spared the reality of what he done.

Sensing his brooding, his other half came into the room to sit by him, taking a seat on his lap and laying her head on his chest. "What's wrong, hon? The case again?" All he would let her know was that the case had been his worst in the decades he had been with the force, but he didn't dare go into _why_ it was so awful. He didn't think he could handle a look of anger or disappointment from her eyes. Not after Clawhauser.

_**Earlier that evening...** _

"What I'm about to tell you cannot leave this room. It's a fragile enough situation as it is and the fallout would be immense." Clawhauser, though normally upbeat and generous with his positive attitude towards others, appeared hesitant to agree, knowing that if he did so, he would be honor bound of his own code of morals to keep it silent. That fact was probably the only reason the Chief was willing to entertain revealing the situation, the feline figured. Eventually, after giving it considerable though, Clawhauser nodded. If it was necessary for him to keep it silent for the Chief to pull himself back from the darkness surrounding him, then the cheetah would be there to help him.

"Wilde was taken because of me." Whatever it was that Ben had been expecting to come from the buffalo's mouth, that certainly wasn't it.

"What do you mean he was taken because of you?" Confused even more so than when he had entered the room, Clawhauser put his paw on the back of the chair next to himself, a strong feeling in his gut that he was going to need a support. Watching his Chief sigh heavily, he gripped it even tighter.

"After the first victim, the first one we spoke to anyway, I was given a scrap of paper that informed me one of our own was going to be taken." Putting his head in his hooves, he couldn't keep the guilt and agony out of his voice. "And I was going to have to choose who."

Clawhauser couldn't believe what he was hearing. The Chief, one of the strongest mammals he knew, both in physical strength and mental willpower, had caved into torturers and delivered one of their brothers into their terrible paws. "What are you saying? You led Nick to the slaughter?" He almost didn't want to hear an answer, hoping this was all some sort of nightmare due to him being up for nearly a week straight with almost no sleep.

Bogo shook his head, unsure how to get deeper into the events that had taken place in that very office. "The group wanted me to choose between Wilde...and Hopps." Ben clapped his paws over his mouth in horror. Seeing Nick on that screen had been horrible but Clawhauser was certain that Judy being shown across the city would have resulted in riots.

"So you chose Nick?"

"No. Nick chose himself. He found the scrap paper and threatened to drag me before IA if I didn't make sure the selection was him." He looked up to see the disappointment in the cheetah's eyes which stung him deep. "I was so relieved to have the decision taken out of my hooves that I didn't even think about protecting him. Surveillance, a wire, a tracking device. Any of it would have helped him and allowed us to stop these maniacs. And I failed."

Hesitating, unsure of how much he wanted to know, Clawhauser swallowed harshly. "And Judy?" Bogo gave a harsh laugh, the action involuntary and filled with a dark despair.

"Hopps found the scrap paper after Wilde had been taken. She blamed me for him being taken and tortured and rightly so. It's why she's been so defiant around me. So cold and filled with hate. She feels that I've taken the most important thing in the world from her and destroyed him. Did I Ben?" He lifted his head to meet the cheetah's gaze. "Am I responsible for Nick's torment? For the horror he endured?"

He didn't know how to answer the Chief. He knew that the mammal needed _some_ sort of answer to redeem his soul and peace of mind, but he wasn't sure he could give him that. "Adrian. Did you intentionally set out to hurt Nick? Or Judy for that matter? No. But you are still responsible for what happened. You sentenced Nick to that chamber when you failed to follow procedure or even common sense for that matter. He may have made the decision to be the bait to save Judy, but I'll bet everything I own that he thought we would either stop them before they hurt him or take his sacrifice as an opportunity to end them. Instead, we have no prisoners and an officer who may never be whole again. That's on you, _Chief_." Turning, Clawhauser made for the door before looking back just as his paw grabbed the handle. "I'll keep what was said in here confidential. But I can't guarantee the truth won't come out eventually." He left, closing the door behind him, leaving the buffalo looking even more miserable than he had before.

* * *

Mammal kind had lost many biological skills and advantages as they evolved. Gone was the enhanced night vision of the big cats. The instinctual awareness of smaller prey had been decimated. Bears had lost size and strength, adapting to their smaller meal portions. Only canines seemed to keep their 'primitive' skills and instincts. Foxes still retained their ability to hunt in the dark. Wolves still worked in a pack mentality, the size giving them power. And all canines kept their sense of smell.

Scent tracking was a vital part of the black wolf currently moving from shadow to shadow. Able to identify one scent among thousands would be considered impossible to any mammal besides a canine. To the wolf it was almost laughably easy. Picturing the target's scent as if it was a green ribbon floating among a world of gray strings, he moved quickly, sensing the mammal nearby.

Rounding the corner, he slowed as he gained a visual. The equine he had chosen stood a mere fifty paces from him, too distracted purchasing a salad wrap from a sidewalk vendor, not that the zebra would find him to be a suspicious character. Dressed in plain jeans and a dark turtleneck, he blended in with the other mammals nearby. Keeping an eye on his target, Beta approached a different vendor and purchased a large coffee. As a mostly nocturnal creature, he didn't need the caffeine, merely the image of the cup in his paw to alleviate suspicion and make him disappear into the background.

Keeping his instincts of the hunt locked away, he followed the striped mammal from a distance, recognizing the path he was moving along after tracking him the night before. He was headed for home. For the false sense of safety it provided behind locked doors and strong windows. Little did he know that his hoof would never make it across the threshold.

Having planned his attack and gone over it many times, Beta quickly hurried ahead of the equine to the position he had determined would be the best place to ambush the prey. Hidden behind the trunk of a large tree, his presence concealed by the deep blackness the leaves cast on the ground, interrupting the moonlight from above, he waited. Waited for the opportune moment to strike.

Hooves clacked on the pavement as the mammal strode along the sidewalk, his casual demeanor developed after years of traversing the same path without incident. He was safe there, he knew. Nothing had ever happened and nothing ever would in his mind. Positive thoughts produced positive mammals but with the sudden whisper of the wind and a strange smell upon the air, he was positive he was not alone. A dark shape rushed him from the darkness. Taken off guard, he raised his hooves in an attempt to ward off his attacker, only to feel a sharp pain his arm. Multiple stabs of what felt like small knives were dug in deep. Trying to shake off whatever had latched on, he felt an immense weight attacked before a wetness flowed from the area, his blood streaking his white and black fur a deep red. Staring down, he was horrified to find yellow eyes he would swear were filled with evil meeting his gaze, the teeth of the wolf sunk into his flesh.

Panicking, the zebra attempted to run only to feel his legs swept out from underneath him, his chin slamming into the ground making him feel winded. He felt the teeth withdraw from his arm and breathed a sigh of relief at the pain lessening even slightly before being struck in the neck by something far sharper but infinitely smaller. Vision faded and head swam as his thoughts began to leave him. The last thing he saw before everything went black was the wolf standing over him, pulling out a cell phone. "We have a new one."

* * *

"I don't know how you managed to track this one down but color me impressed, You lose points though for your choice of roads." Being in a cruiser was something the officers did everyday. Patrols could last hours, maybe even a full day in certain areas. That was normally in the city though. Paved roads all over. Smooth drives where one didn't need to worry about being tossed around a large metal box.

"Can't be helped, D. I don't get to choose when the pavement ends and the only two paths to where we need to go is dirt and fields."

"At this point I'd take the fields," Delgato muttered, wincing as they hit another hole and he was tossed into the door, hurting his already damaged shoulder. "Can you at _least_ not hit _every_ hole out here?"

"Have you looked out the window?" Gesturing wildly, Wolford felt himself losing his patience with his partner, something that happened any time they were in the car longer than it took to get to the diner for lunch. "Do you see any part of the road _not_ made of holes? We're out in the middle of nowhere, D. Just be grateful we have a lead to go on at all."

Delgato let his mind wander a bit, still unsure how this location managed to land in their lap, especially considering no one even knew this part of the world existed apparently. The land was on no map and no address had ever been registered there. There were no records of electric bills and the lion had not even seen a power line in the last twenty miles. Whoever this mammal was, they had truly wanted to disappear from the world entirely.

"We're here." Roused from his thoughts, Delgato raised his eyes to see a dense forest in front of them, a small foot path weaving through the trees. The timber wolf had already jumped from the cruiser and headed towards the edge of the woods before his partner could even get a word out.

"Ralph. You sure this is it? I don't see any other cars out here, do you? The last house we passed was nearly twenty miles back. All that's here is a tiny path, not even wide enough for an ATV. What make you think this is where we're supposed to be?" For an answer, Wolford simply tapped his nose. "Oh that's your answer for everything. Your nose isn't always right, you know."

The wolf let lout a fake gasp. "That was uncalled for. Apologize to him, D." Snickering at the cross look on the lion's muzzle, Wolford simply pointed down next to the lion's paw. The print of a rabbit's hind paw lay in the mud, freshly made ad in the direction the path was headed. "Follow the path and find our mystery doe." With a rather cub-like grin, Ralph set off down the path, his partner grudgingly following.

Having grown up in Zootopia proper, neither mammal had ever truly experienced a true forest. They had explored the rain forest district often enough, but that was mammal made, not nature grown. The lion was having some feelings of trepidation and anxiety. His kind had been born in the open for thousands of years. Being tightly enclosed on all sides, including the sky being blocked, was making him very nervous. The wolf however was having an experience quite the opposite of his partner. Instincts honed for many millennia had him feeling quite at home among the trees. Had the moon been shining, he might have been overpowered with a primal urge to howl.

It took the two about ten minutes of following the twisting path before their effort paid off. Glimpsing through the trees, they could see a small clearing up ahead, with a log cabin sitting at the far edge. There was no machinery of any sort along the property that they could see, however they did see a splitting ax near a large stump, hundreds of tiny indentations in the wood.

The screech of rusty hinges from behind them had the lion whipping around, catching the sight of a gray metal tube being shoved out the door. "Shotgun!" Delgato scrambled to take safety behind a large tree, grateful to see Wolford doing the same. "This is the ZPD! Put down the weapon and step away!"

"You think I'm gonna believe a couple of preds? I knew you'd show up to finish what you started!" Taking a chance, Wolford peeked out around the tree hoping to get a vantage point. Catching sight of what appeared to be a middle-aged rabbit in a large sunhat pulled low over her face, plaid shirt and denim shorts not seeming out of place next to the rustic cabin, but it was the shotgun in her paws that the officer focused on. While small for the two larger mammals, he had no doubt that the steel shot inside each of the double barrels would be more than enough to turn them into swiss cheese.

"Ma'am, we're detectives for the ZPD. Please lower the shotgun. We just want to talk." Delgato was keeping the rabbit's focus on himself, the twin tubes of steel aimed at the tree he had disappeared behind giving Wolford an opening to flank around. The timber wolf took a moment to scan the area but his hopes at finding a position to sneak to withered and died as he realized the doe's sharp hearing would catch any move he made and would likely have him on the receiving end of a gut full of pellets. He shook his head at the lion.

"Toss out your badges. Then we'll see." Looking down at his chest, Delgato struggled with the idea of taking the chain off from around his neck. It never left his body until he got home each night, but today was going to have to about breaking with tradition. Slipping it over his head, he tossed it around the tree, joining Wolford's that was already on the ground. The doe stepped forward slowly, keeping the gun aimed at the tree line. Not for the first time did the idea of jumping out to tranq the rabbit flash through the lion's thoughts but it was dismissed just as quickly as it came. Tranquilizers worked fast but not nearly fast enough to remove the threat of the gun which worked far quicker. The bunny nudged the badges with her foot, seeing the numbers flashing up at her. "Alright. If you're really cops you'll toss out those dart guns you always have on ya. And no, this ain't a negotiation. You can either toss em out or take your chances running back down the path."

The detectives looked at each other. Disarming was something nearly every regulation warned against, but they still needed answers and the chances of getting back to cruiser without lead in their backs wasn't high enough to consider the option beyond a last resort. Unclipping their tranq pistols, they each tossed them out where they had rested their badges. Delgato had a momentary flash of optimism that the gun would go off and dart the rabbit, but with their safeties on that wasn't going to happen.

Convinced the two might be telling the truth, the bunny decided to take a risk. "Alright, the two of you come out. Slowly. You may not have your guns but you have your teeth and claws and I won't hesitate to turn you into a pair of pencils with as much lead you'll have in you." Not feeling all that reassured by that last statement, the two detectives circled around their respective trees and moved closer towards the rabbit who had retreated to a safe distance, though still within lethal range of her shotgun. Eyeing them with as much suspicion as hatred, she hissed through her clenched teeth. "What the hell do you want?"

"Ma'am," Wolford started, gauging that as the smaller of the predators she would be less frightened by him, "we're investigating a group in Zootopia who are engaged in torturing and murdering innocent mammals, both pred and prey al-."

"So?" she interrupted the canine. "What does that possibly have to do with me?"

"One of the perpetrators is a doe who may be linked to an anti-pred group that you were a part of. We are checking into the few that are possibly connected, Ms. Bounders." At the sound of the name, the rabbit glared at the wolf, only her left eye visible beneath the hat.

"That's not my name." Slightly stunned, Wolford brought out his pad and began leafing through it. "Fine. It's not my name _anymore_."

"May I ask what is your name now?"

"I don't have one. Look around _detective._ I have no car, I own no machinery. I live in a cabin in the middle of a forest that's on no map to date. I don't even leave the tree line save for a few vegetables planted just beyond the path that need extra sunlight. I haven't left this place in seven years. What good is a name out here?"

The two detectives glanced at each other. If what she said was true and that she hasn't left in seven years, there's no way she could be who they are after. "May I ask what made you decide to live out here?" Delgato was still scraping for information, hoping they might get _something_ to know their trip wasn't a waste of time.

Wrestling with herself, it took a considerable amount of time for the doe to reach the conclusion to tell them but eventually she caved, the story having been inside her, simmering to a boil, for far too long. "You mentioned the anti-pred group I was a part of. Did you ever find out _why_ I was part of it?" The lion did not know, he hadn't even managed to find a connection to her in the first place. Wolford on the other paw had an inkling based on a few scraps of newspaper he hand managed to track down. Whipping off her sunhat, the bunny stood tall as she stared down the two mammals, each of them grimacing at the sight.

The entire right side of her face had been mauled. Flesh ripped from bone and improperly healed. Claw marks ran deep over her eye and there were several hunks of fur and skin missing along her ear. "I was part of it because this was what was done to me by a group of drunken predators who decided I looked like fun one night on my way home. The group made me their poster child for their movement. I was treated like royalty rather than the pariah the rest of the world had made me into. Until they found someone else. Someone better looking for the movement. I was tossed off, forgotten by every new 'friend' I had made. That's when I left and moved out here. Where I knew that the only mammal here would not hurt me. Would not betray me. Myself."

Fed up with telling the story, the rabbit grimaced at the two and raised her shotgun again. "Get your stuff and leave. I don't want to see you or anymore of your friends around here again. I just want to be left alone." Slowly gathering their badges and tranq guns, not wanting to startle the doe any further in case she had a trigger digit, the two mammals started to withdraw before Delgato paused and turned back. Her brow raised, she gestured for him to keep moving.

"Just one last thing, ma'am. Did you know anyone in the group who could be capable of these acts?"

"Mister, I was brought in as a rallying cry and dumped the same way. Do you honestly think I gave enough of a shit about who was doing what to remember after all these years?"

* * *

 _It's real. It's real._ Her words rang in his head as the truth settled in around him, covering him in a blanket of sorrow and the faint hope of happiness, though it went unnoticed beneath the despair hanging over him. The only thing he could feel was pain. Agonizing pain that rolled over his entire body with each movement he would make. Looking at his bandaged chest. Feeling the cloth over parts of his face and the wrapped bits of what remained for his ear. _This is my life now. A walking horror show._

_Maybe. But your bunny just told you that she loves you._

Looking down at the gray ball of fur in his lap, he found himself unable to to forget yet also unable to believe the words she had said to him. _Was that real, though? Could it have been some part of my mind trying to fix itself?_

 _Why do you insist on denying yourself the chance that she might feel the same? Why do you feel the need to make excuses? You just went through hell for that bunny and you_ know _she just told you she loves you. Tell her how you feel._

_But my face. My body. I'm a freak now._

_If you think she cares only about how you look, you are degrading everything that she is._

Looking down at the rabbit still curled up against him, he hesitantly reached down to brush her ears, though stopping mere centimeters above them. He struggled with himself, debating if it was a good idea to pursue that course of action, but eventually he gave in, needing to find something to tie him to this world.

Feeling the tender touch on her ears, the soft stroke of a paw running along them, had Judy perking her whole body up, her ears snapping to attention as she turned towards her fox. Seeing the small upward curve on the side of his lips, Judy let forth the tears she had been holding back for days. "N-Nick?"

"Hey Carrots. Some night, huh?"

Judy gave him a small look of pity as she realized he didn't know how much time had passed. His catatonia had trapped him inside his own mind, unable to register anything but small bits and pieces of the outside world. "It's been more than two weeks, Nick."

 _Two weeks? I've been here for two_ _weeks_? Glancing around the room, he noticed there were several bags of clothing, all bunny sized, as well a strong scent of the gray rabbit all over the bed he had woken in. Several trays of food were piled up to the side, all uneaten. "Have...have you left here at all?"

Shaking her head slowly, she offered him a sad smile. "Not since the first moment they let me in here. I wasn't going to leave you again. Not after what happened."

"Carrots...I don't want to tell you this but you need to know _why_ they targeted me."

"I already know."

"Y-you do?"

"I found the paper, Nick. It was very noble for you to sacrifice yourself, but why couldn't you have come to me about it? We could have talked. We could have made a plan." The distress in her voice was quite evident and it broke Nick's heart.

"I didn't want you thinking it was your fault. I thought Bogo would be able to stop them before they took me or maybe track me to wherever I was being held."

Deciding he didn't need to hear the truth, that their chief had royally fucked up and let his officer be tortured nearly to death because of his incompetence, Judy hastily changed the subject. "It's not me who I blame. But that's not the point. I'm going to get the nurse in here and you are going to get some food in you. The minute you're strong enough to leave this room, we are getting out of Zootopia."

"Where are we going?"

"Home."


	20. Chapter 20 - The healing begins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Had some people worrying the story was dropped. Have no fear, just working on 4 different stories as well as a couple of side projects so Ive been a bit busy. Also, this story requires a certain sort of inspiration to write properly so I be patient until that comes along. Don't worry. I will continue it until the end.
> 
> Disclaimer: I sent Jason Bateman a copy of this story to forward along to the Zootopia writers since they've stopped taking my calls. Or letters. And blocked me on twitter. I wasn't looking for them to MAKE this into the movie, just get some interest in me as a writer so I could pitch some ideas. Well, things happened and long story short I have a restraining order on me from Jason. Thanks Jason.

There had been a time when the idea of being alone in the Chief's office with the stern buffalo towering over her would have been incredibly intimidating. Where the much smaller rabbit would have had to struggle desperately to keep her nose from twitching. To keep her ears perked and at attention. To not let her fear get the best of her. Yes there had been a time. But no longer.

Now, there was only hatred in her eyes for the mammal she had idolized. Whom she had spent years working on becoming an officer just to serve under him. When she had found out she was to be assigned to Precinct One, where Chief Bogo himself was in charge, she had nearly squealed in excitement. And though her first days had been rather awful, she still had much respect for him. And that respect had lasted until the day he threw away Nick's life simply because he didn't want to deal with the hard choices.

Now it was him who was trying not to cower under the gaze of the small mammal. Bogo was not deluded into thinking that he would be spared the bunny's wrath. He was well aware how much hate there was for him in her heart and the only thing he could do was wish he could turn back time. To not make such a choice that would cause his favorite officer, one who he looked after every day, hoping to shield her innocence from the harsh reality of the world. But the world does not work like that. Time is etched in stone and the choices one makes lasts forever. And so the buffalo stared at the bunny, attempting to appear calm and in charge, even though it was Judy who had called the meeting.

"What do you want, Hop-" the buffalo, attempting to start off the conversation in order to control it, ceased his words at the sight of a raised gray paw smaller than his ear.

"I don't want to hear anything you have to say,  _Chief_. I came to speak  _to_ you, not  _with_ you." Watching the mammal she had once looked up to try to avoid her eyes was both insulting and invigorating. She had him between a rock and a hard place and all she needed to do was give that boulder a tiny nudge to end him completely. "Nick is nearly well enough to leave the hospital. I am taking him to the country to heal up away from this... _city,_ away from the job, and away from  _you._  You're going to put us on extended paid leave so that our apartments will be kept up to date on payments for when, or maybe even  _if_  we return." Looking flabbergasted, the Chief spluttered before regaining enough composure to respond.

"That is completely ludicrous. I will not give you or Wilde paid time just to take a vacation out to the country. If-"

"I didn't say this was a request!" Now standing on the chair, her normally kind eyes lit with a fire, her voice dripping with rage. "You  _will_  do this or I will drag your pathetic, disgraceful ass to IA and watch as they persecute you. I'll be cheering when the predators drag you through the street for deliberately sending one of their own to suffer and die. Watch while your  _former_  officers turn their backs on you, sneers of contempt on their faces." Bogo slumped further in his seat with every word she said. His head now hanging, a small thump that caused a slight tremor through the desk had him looking up. Judy was standing in front of him, paw raised. Bringing it down swiftly, Bogo felt the sting across his cheek as the rabbit slapped him. "I trusted you!  _He_ trusted you! And you  _abandoned_  him. Now you are going to sign those forms granting us leave or so help me there won't be a mammal in Zootopia left who doesn't know your name and what a disgrace you are."

Hopping down from the desk, Judy left the room and stormed down the hallway. The few mammals on that floor parted to let the bunny pass by, the murderous look in her eyes more than enough to scare them into submission. Bogo meanwhile was hunched over his desk, vigorously rubbing his temples. He was not one to fold to blackmail, but this time it was far worse than an embarrassing photo or an old email. This time he had nearly gotten an officer killed by his negligence. He knew he shouldn't even be sitting there, but he felt the case would be better off with him. He could think about retirement another time. For now, the city needed him. Pulling a form from the lower drawer of his desk, he took his pen and quickly signed it, praying that when, or  _if_  the two came back, they might find it in their hearts to forgive him. Then all that would be left was for him to forgive himself.

* * *

Being wheeled back into his hospital room made the vulpine feel pathetic. He never liked relying on anyone and he hated hospitals, so having the two combined was making him sick to his stomach. As he stood in order to climb back into bed though, a small part of him was grateful for the nurse having wheeled him back. While most of him was healing properly, there was still some muscle damage in his abdomen that was requiring physical therapy several times a week. Each session left him hurt and weak so getting himself back to his room was not really an option. Thanking the nurse, Nick eased himself back into a sitting position, propped up by several pillows.

He tried to not look at the sow as she was leaving. He did not want to see the look of pity she gave him. It was always the same with every mammal who came into contact with him. All they saw was the image of the beaten and broken mammal splashed across the internet and every video screen in Zootopia. The one who had been burned and scarred, blinded and muzzled in front of their eyes. And with none of those branded areas growing back any fur, instead only scarring heavily, it was nearly impossible for anyone to look at him without blanching at the sight or their eyes filling with pity. Everyone. Except her.

The first few weeks from when she watched him be tortured all the way until he came out of his catatonia had been rough, no...more than rough. Rough was having a root canal. This had been a horrendous experience for both of them. But ever since he had finally awoken, she had been treating him with patience and kindness and love. There were no questions, there were no accusations. She did not get exasperated when he was upset and she let him talk as much as he wanted or be as silent. She had been there for him as she always had.

As if his thoughts had called out to her, to make her magically appear, Judy walked through his hospital room door, a smile lighting up her face as she saw the fox sitting there. Quickly crossing the room, all but skipping to get there, she clambered up onto the bed and leaned in to give him a soft kiss. Nick returned the gesture though still slightly in shock as he watched her sit back, her smile ever present.  _Why_ , he thought.  _Why would she want me? I'm broken. Damaged beyond repair. And who knows what sick, twisted thing those..._ beasts _...did to my head. She deserves so much more._ His look must have alerted Judy to his current thought process because she readied herself as she had every day since he had woken up. "Carrots, you-"

"Don't even start, Nicholas Wilde. You know damn well what I'm going to say if you keep telling me that you 'don't deserve' me and that you're 'broken and damaged.'" Crawling into his lap, careful to avoid the still healing areas, she laid her paws on his chest and looked into his emerald eye. "I love you, Nick. Do you think me so shallow that a few scars and some missing fur will drive me away?" Nick started to open his mouth again before her glare cut him off. "I love you for who you are. A kind, caring individual, one who has protected me and watched out for me all this time." She reached up and stroked his cheek with her paw. "My only regret is that we didn't realize it sooner."

Nick leaned into her paw, relishing the touch. It was always like this. He would be upset by something, a thought, or something someone said. All the bunny would need to do is hug him, or even just touch his paw and his cares drifted away, his thoughts consumed by her. He would never think himself good enough for her, and it hurt for him to even think about pushing her away, but eventually she would realize her mistake, he mused, though unhappily.  _She'll find someone better. Someone whole._ But for now, he was happy she was there with him.

Though he was unable to look himself in the mirror still, he was at least grateful to his body that the pain faded whenever she was nearby. The increased serotonin from seeing her beautiful face did much to ease the lingering agony and kept him from baring his teeth whenever the pain would shoot through his nerves. The last thing he wanted was to scare her by unintentionally showing his fangs or tearing the bedding with his claws. He didn't need to worry, as Judy had proven on many occasions that predators didn't scare her, and in fact the sight of his teeth and claws actually served to arouse her greatly, but he did not want to take the chance and so kept them hidden as much as possible.

Giving in to the comfort of her paw, Nick gathered her into his arms and brought her up to lay on his chest. She was always hesitant to rest there, knowing some of the more painful spots were the brands and knife wounds to his torso. At his insistence that the feel of her actually helped to make him feel better, she would allow herself to be placed there, but only if he did it himself. She was not going to risk injuring him further. Putting her head underneath his chin, she nuzzled into him, making sure to breath in his musky scent. It was fortunate she enjoyed the scent as it would always linger whenever she would separate from him. Not many mammals enjoyed smelling fox musk, but to Judy it was almost like an aphrodisiac. It took most of her willpower but she forced herself to retreat slightly to keep from jumping on him.

"So...just curious...why aren't you in uniform, Carrots? It is still Tuesday. Right?" The slight uptick of panic in his voice had Judy smiling, though a bit sadly.

"Don't worry, Slick. You only took a fox nap. You weren't out for days this time."

"A 'fox nap'..." Tilting his head, Nick looked so much like a confused kit that Judy had to clap her paws over her mouth to stop from giggling. "I've heard of cat naps, but what is a fox nap?"

"Oh it's when you lay on your back and your tongue hangs out of your mouth and can only be woken up by a large French Hazelnut coffee from Snarlbucks." He chuckled while watching her large grin.

"So..." he glanced around as if expecting one to appear. "Did you bring me one?"

"Of course not. You weren't sleeping." Nick had to let out a groan at the awful joke he had walked right into. While he loved her dearly, her sense of humor still needed some work. "I'm not in uniform because I'm on leave, Slick. We both are."

"Leave?" Besides the occasional bang-up during one of their more  _exciting_  cases, they had never been put on leave for anything other than a couple of days for hospital stays, though in his current condition he couldn't blame them for benching him, though he was feeling better as he healed. It was his mental state that required work to get back to normal, if it ever would. "Something about the case tick Buffalo Butt off enough to take us off the roster for now?" Though he tried to hide behind the joke about the Chief, he was still very hurt at how the mammal had let him down which nearly cost him his life.

"No, Nick. I made him put us on paid leave until we're ready to go back. I know you're healing," she said, halting the quick retort coming from his lips, "but you're in no condition to be out there on the street. Not to mention I don't want to be near  _him_  now, or anytime soon. We're going to Bunnyburrow. You need to get away from all this and I think some quiet out in the country will do you good." Biting her lower lip, she put her paw in his and looked down at their entwined digits. "Do  _us_ some good."

Gazing down fondly at the doe, he used his other paw to raise her chin up, allowing their eyes to meet as his crinkled with a softness she rarely saw him express. "Well then, Fluff. Take me away."

* * *

Her plan to take Nick away immediately hit a small snag as the hospital wasn't quite ready to let him leave yet. He still had abdominal muscles that were not quite healed enough for him to be walking for prolonged periods. The brand across his eye was also not progressing as well as they would have liked. While the skin was cauterized, they worried that beneath the blinded eye was some residual fluid that could possibly leak out. When Nick expressed concern about the term 'fluid', they explained that he could end up what some would call 'weeping blood'. They both had decided it would be a good idea to have that examined before making their way to the Burrows so that the dozens of tiny bunny kits didn't see a fox with blood dripping down his face.

It had taken nearly two days for Nick to finally be released, though not without a cane to lean on and bandages covering most of his torso. The looks he was given on the way out of the hospital and even the short walk to the curb outside were enough to drive the tod mad, but with the gray bunny,  _his_  bunny, by his side, he was able to push past them, letting the whispers flow over his fluffy armor and pass through unscathed.

The real test had been in the cab they had managed to flag down. Though foxes were still somewhat distrusted in the city even after one had helped to save the city barely a year ago, after the broadcast of the first fox officer being tortured had left such a horrendous taste in most mammals mouths that foxes were suddenly being seen in a different light. One that had slowly closed the gaps that had formed over several decades. The idea to the driver that foxes weren't a bad sort after all was something that Nick had warmed to, however after realizing exactly who it was in his cab, the questions had flowed nonstop and Nick had needed to bolt from the car several blocks shy of the train station before he had a panic attack.

Thankfully Judy had understood his need to escape the confined cab. She gave the squirrel an angry glare before tossing a twenty at him and grabbing their luggage from the trunk. It took about ten minutes to reach the station, having to switch bags several times to keep their shoulders from aching, however once there it was obvious from the rapid eye movement of her fox that he was uncomfortable being surrounded by so many mammals. She couldn't help noticing how his head constantly swiveled as if expecting to be attacked any second.

Biting her lip, Judy quickly grabbed his paw and hauled him off to the side of the station, determined to get a rental rather than force him to be constantly stressed by every twitch he sensed around him. Sitting him down on the benches just outside the car lot, she gathered his paws in hers and looked into his eye, making sure he was focused entirely on her. "Just sit here, okay sweetie? Rest. I'll be back in a moment." She started to let go when a look of fear flashed across his face. Raising a paw, she cupped his cheek and stroked it gently, all the while giving him a soft smile. "Don't worry, Nick. I'm not going to abandon you. I'm just going to get us a car, okay?" He hesitated but for only a moment, giving a curt nod. "Besides," she said with a wink. "You have all my underwear."

The doe skipped away while the fox sat, stunned into silence. It wasn't more than a few seconds later before his lips started to curl in amusement. A few more for a light chuckle to escape him. Before long, he was laughing hysterically, a deep belly laugh that made his whole body shake. Passerby viewed the fox and quickly hurried on, thinking him a madmammal. Just inside the lot where Judy was filling out the rental agreement, her ears twitched and stood up straight, catching the laughter from her fox. It caused her to smile fondly, hearing his first laugh since the whole nightmare had started.

While technically she shouldn't have her badge when on leave, she hadn't deigned on giving it to Bogo. One never knew when something like that might come in handy. Much like then as the bunny flashed the shield in order to speed up the rental process under the assumption, though never actually stated, that it was for police business. Within minutes Judy had a car pulling up to the fox before getting out and helping the vulpine into the passenger seat. The luggage, while one of the bags being bigger than she was, were stowed in the trunk by the small rabbit without even a huff. Clambering back into the driver seat, the two mammals bid goodbye to the city and headed for the outskirts.

* * *

What normally would have taken two hours by train, the journey by car was nearly twice that. Twists and turns from where carriage paths had been turned into roadways rather than cutting a straight line may have lent a bit of scenic atmosphere, but it added quite a lot of time to their travel. Judy, who had taken the ride a few times and was well accustomed to being in a car for long periods, was doing fine. However her vulpine partner and, dare she say  _boyfriend_ was having a bit more of a difficult time. Used to riding around on subways and in cabs, the longest Nick had ever been in a vehicle was during their days on patrol. At least then there had something interesting for him to occupy his time. With nothing but trees around him for a distraction and the smallness of their two-door sedan, Nick was finding it difficult to breathe.

"Carrots, pull over." The desperation in his voice shocked the young rabbit who looked over at him in alarm.

"Nick, what's-"

"Now, Carrots!" An almost feral-like growl ripped from his throat along with the words. Her nose twitching violently, Judy quickly yanked the wheel and pulled off the road as much as she dared. The car had not even stopped moving before the fox had shoved open the door and took off running into the woods.

"Nick! Nick wait!" Judy made to scramble out of the car and cursed loudly as the seatbelt she had forgotten to unlatch forced her back into the seat. Quickly pressing the button, she leapt out the door, not even bothering to close the door or care that the engine was still running. All she knew was that she had to find him. Had to find her fox. Thankfully, for which she gave a silent prayer, he had chosen to run in as straight a line as possible. Growing up on farm country and often escaping to the large wooded areas around the Burrows, she was able to follow his trail and probably could have if she was blind.

Pushing past broken twigs and stripped leaves, she kept track of the displaced dirt from where two large hindpaws had traveled through.  _He's moving too fast. Without his cane and not taking it easy...oh he's going to be hurting so badly._ She hurried to find the tod before he could do anymore harm to himself. Expecting find him around the next tree, and the tree after, and the tree after that even, she started to get angry with her partner, not just worried.  _Why the hell is he pushing himself like this? Why get out of the car? It's not as if he was tra-..._ Her thoughts broke off as she suddenly realized what had spooked her fox. "Nick!" Picking up her speed, she began to sprint down the obvious path left behind by his panicked escape. "Nick answer me! Where are you?!"

Judy was turning her head left and right so quickly that she began to feel a bit dizzy. Bringing herself to a stop to regain her equilibrium, she used the time to rotate her ears, straining for even the faintest sound to reach her. Though there was rarely mammals this deep into the woods off the road, it did not mean there was not a vast amount of sounds to be heard. The chirps of many species of birds, all forming a rise of notes heading towards an inevitable cadence. Babbling brooks, as there name so aptly described, sending out the sound of trickling water resonating off the stones to almost a crescendo as it joined into the river that swept through the forest.

It took much of her concentration to push through all of the background noise, eliminating one useless source after another. It was only after she had silenced the distractions that a much different sound reached her. A suppressed sob, not even thirty yards ahead of her. She refrained from running as fast as she could to him, something that strained her willpower immensely, yet she knew that rushing him right now, when he was feeling this frightened, that he might close up again and she may not be able to get him out.

Rounding the tree, she saw her fox curled up beneath it's branches. Weeping softly while his arms clasped tightly around his chest, as if protecting himself from whatever may come. It broke her heart to see him so vulnerable. So terrified. Cautiously stepping over him, she put her back up against the tree and slid down, making sure to be right next to him but not letting her thigh touch his head. Slowly extending her paw, she let her digits trail through the tuft of disheveled fur on the top of his head. Almost immediately his sobbing stopped and a stillness befell him. When she trailed to his ears and rubbed the base, a sad whine escaped him as he tried to push harder into her paw. Taking a chance, she gripped both of his cheeks in her paws and lightly tugged his head towards her. "C'mere, sweetie." She expected him to hesitate, a little reluctant to touch another mammal so soon after his panic attack, so it surprised her when he flopped his head completely into her lap immediately. She couldn't stop a smile from crossing her lips but she did keep her paw busy, stroking his fur gently. "There you go. I've got you, Nick. I've always got you."

"W-why?" His voice shook, more than just from the residual sobbing still choking him up. The sadness that went deeper than anything the  _savages_  could have done to him rearing it's ugly head. "Why me? Why would you want to be with a blind, scarred, mutilated, wretched old fox? You're Judy Hopps. You could have  _anyone_."

"It's always been you, Slick." Leaning down, she gave him a gentle kiss before wiping his tears away with her paw. "There never was anyone else for me."


	21. Chapter 21 - Corpse and Compassion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Been a little while since I updated this one. Was necessary to delay it in order to finish off my large main story 'A Bunny CAN Go Savage.' Now that it is indeed over, updates for this story should be more consistent. Thank you for sticking with me on this.
> 
> Disclaimer: My friends have slowly been infiltrating Disney theme parks. Soon we will have enough control to allow us to finally acquire the Zootopia rights. I've promised them each a character to write for the sequel. One of them wanted Flash. God is that gonna take a while.

"What are we doing back here? I thought this was a dead end?" Walking up the short driveway, the hot tar blistering his heels, Delgato couldn't help but wince slightly. He was rather annoyed at having been dragged all the way across the city during their lunch break, especially as he had been waiting for a forensic report on a possible suspect to come back.

Wolford looked down at his partner slightly hobbling from paw to paw and grimaced, sparing him a pitying look. "I know you hate the look of of em, but really D, you gotta get yourself some wraps. It's only getting worse as summer goes on." If looks could kill, the daggers in the lion's gaze would have pierced him a hundred times over. "Ooookay, got it. Don't make light of the paws. Anyway we got a call about a smell coming from the house." Stopping dead in his tracks, the wolf suddenly slammed a paw over his nose. "And whoa can I smell it now!" Having gotten halfway up the driveway the rank smell became overpowering.

Delgato raised a brow in confusion at the canine. "Smell wh-Oh holy hell! What is that?" Trying to keep himself from gagging, the large feline clapped his own paw over his mouth and nose. He retreated several large paces before taking several gasping lungfuls of air.

"That would be decomp. Massive decomp." Hurrying back to the car, Wolford grabbed both of their respiratory masks from the trunk. They had only needed them a pawful of times when working cases since becoming detectives, but this was one of the worst cases of decomposition he had ever dealt with and it wouldn't do much for an investigation if he expelled his stomach all over the evidence.

Grabbing his own, Delgato slipped it over his head and securing it on his muzzle. Though the air coming through was slightly warm and tasted artificial, it took care of most of the odor. "I don't think I've smelled one this bad before. Should we call for a coroner?"

"This early? We both know whatever used to be alive in there ain't anymore but that doesn't mean it's clear." Wolford was trying to keep his comments limited. While the respirator did a lot for his partner, the nose of the canine was much more powerful and sensitive. It was clearing a good amount of the odor making it tolerable, however the nausea was still present and he didn't trust himself not to hurl if he opened his mouth.

"You think someone would actually hang around with  _this_  permeating everywhere?" He had to admit it was really unlikely, but there were still a decent amount of mammals out there without a good sense of smell who could possibly tolerate the level of decomp they were currently being overwhelmed by.

"Let's just clear it and we'll call the coroner." In agreement, the two detectives headed for the front door. Delgato, the largest and strongest of the two, made to kick in the front door but a quick inspection by Wolford showed the door to be unlocked. Preferring a silent entry, they moved through the doorway quickly.

Now without walls separating them from the inside of the house, the two mammals suddenly found themselves completely smothered by the odor. There was no doubt in either of their minds that they were dealing with a corpse. Perhaps more than one. "Someone cranked the thermostat. Hot as blazes in here. And it's humid, too."

"Room one clear."

"Room two clear."

"Bathroom's clear. Tub's full though. Probably what's causing all this moisture in the air."

"Kitchen's clean. Nothing's even disturbed the dust." Wolford started to holster his pistol when his gaze went into the room directly across from him. "Oh this isn't good."

"What did you fi-holy shit!"

* * *

Glancing over at her fox, Judy wanted to smile at the peaceful look on his face. But want does not necessarily make an action happen. Too overcome with concern, too worried about his mental state, the rabbit cried silently making sure not to disturb his rest. Were it not for the scars on his face and muzzle, she could almost think he was a kit at heart. But she knew better. His experience had buried nearly all of what had been Nicholas Wilde.  _But not for long_ , she promised herself.  _I'll make him remember. I'll help him through this._

Turning her focus back to the road, all Judy could do was hope the others were having luck in tracking down the beasts that did this to him. She didn't care about the city. She certainly didn't care about Bogo. The only things she cared about in that moment were simple. For Nick to get better and for those bastards to get caught and arrested. Because if they weren't found soon, then she would take it upon herself to get to them. And heaven help them if she did.

* * *

"What do we got?" Though very imposing normally, the sight of the gigantic cape buffalo wearing a respirator mask the size of Wolford's head made him even more so. Based on how out of sorts the Chief had been lately, Delgato took a second to form his sentences very carefully, not wanting to anger the massive mammal further. Leading him through the plastic barrier erected over the front door, he envied the buffalo for his weaker sense of smell. The respirator eliminated enough of the smell for him to only grunt at the odor whereas the lion was still suffering just as bad as an hour before.

"Dead mammal, sir. Red fox. Looks like a single gunshot to the head was cause of death though the killer, or killers, went far beyond that. It's-...well, you'll see, Chief." Heading through the various rooms, Bogo noticed several forensic investigators photographing the adjacent rooms, looking for any evidence or blood that might indicate a struggle. Reaching the end of the hall, he noticed what looked like the arm of a couch before passing through the doorway. The sight in the middle of the room made even him blanch.

 _Even with everything going on and all those damn videos, this is still beyond disturbing._ Large commercial grade eye hooks had been drilled into the ceiling. Even without the chains extending downward from them, it would have been obvious what they would be used for. It was when the eyes traveled down the chain links and met the near skeletal paws trapped within what appeared to be iron manacles that things became horrifying.

"Ah, Chief Bogo." A honey badger stood up from the plastic sheeting that had been spread over the floor beneath the mammal trapped in all four directions by chains and cuffs spreading what used to be it's limbs wide, suspended completely in the air. "I was hoping you'd arrive in time. I wanted to go over the victim with you before we get him down."

"Alright Madge," he addressed the medical examiner currently shifting from paw to paw nervously. "What happened to-...well,  _this."_ Grimacing slightly as she turned back to the hanging mammal, the doctor had to choke back the bile rising up in her throat.

"Well, obviously we are looking at a male red fox. Gunshot to the head. Based on the entry wound I'd say it was close but I won't know more until we get him back to the lab for an autopsy. The interesting thing is the condition he is in."

"I can see the condition he's in, doctor. His stomach has been slashed open and all of his guts are hanging out. Not too hard to miss."

"Um, quite. Though I was speaking more to his state of decay. Based on the rate of deco-" she was interrupted by a slight plopping sound as a chunk of flesh parted from the mammal's arm to fall onto the plastic, already littered with several other pieces of rotted meat and muscle. "Ahem, as I was saying. Based on the rate of decomposition you would expect the victim to have been here for one or even two weeks. Obviously who ever left him here turned up the heat and left the bath filled with water to turn this place into a virtual rainforest, hastening the process."

"Wolford, do we think this is another video victim?" The timber wolf looked away from the corpse to focus on the buffalo.

"I don't think so, Chief. We haven't seen another red fox broadcasted sin-...we haven't seen a video. Also they have always dumped their victims in a public place where the citizens saw it first rather than the police. It just doesn't seem like their M.O."

Now slightly puzzled but no less angry, Bogo went to pace, something he found tended to help his focus, but forced himself to remain still so as not to disturb any evidence. "So what? It's a random murder that's staged in a completely disturbing way? Are we looking at some sort of copy killer? Someone taking advantage of this recent terrorist group?"

"I'd feel pretty confident in wagering it wasn't them, Chief."

"Well I'm guessing you'll have to pay up, Delgato." The three officers turned as one towards the honey badger. During the time they were debating on the likelyhood of the victim's killers, the forensic team had lowered the fox's body to the floor. Now it was the jaw that she was interested in. Prying it open, she stuck her digits inside and pulled out a scrap of paper. "Laminated. Well that's handy." Holding it high, she passed it into the lion's paw which he quickly grabbed a spare glove to take it with.

Glancing it over, Delgato's face went from curious to a scowl to enraged. "God dammit!" Thrusting the paper into his partner's paw, the lion turned and stormed away.

Taking a look himself, Wolford suddenly understood why he was so upset.

_'Welcome ZPD. Alpha sends his regards.'_

* * *

It took another two hours for the couple to make it all the way into Bunnyburrow. Nick, completely exhausted and in a lot of pain from his run through the woods, had thankfully slept the whole way, only awakening a few miles shy of the Hopps warren. "Don't worry, Nick. I called my mom a little bit ago. She's clearing a path so we can get you in and straight to the room without having to worry about the kerfluffle."

It had been a long time since Nick had visited the burrow, but on his last visit out the young bunnies had made hum their honorary tree house, climbing over every inch of him and burying their paws in his fur. They had gotten a bit too acquainted with his tail however and it had taken him nearly a month to regrow all the clumps that had been yanked out. While he adored them all, the idea of having them see him walking into their home looking... _different_  was not something he wanted to deal with that evening.

"Thanks, Carrots. I don't want to scare anyone." It was a sobering thought to imagine that children, and most likely the older rabbits as well, would soon be looking at him in horror, disturbed by the sight of his scars and burns. The whiteness of his scorched eye and the jagged flap that was all that was left of his ear.

Pulling into the drive, Judy brought the car to a slow crawl. Keeping one paw on the wheel, she reached with the free one and intertwined their digits. "Nick, you are  _not_  a monster. I want you to remember that. No one is going to be scared of you. You may get a few hugs and I can't guarantee there will be dry eyes throughout the whole family, but no one will be scared, Nick."

She didn't quite believe her own words, but Nick must have felt reassured for a small smile, a genuine one reserved only for her, graced his lips. It made her heart flutter at the sight. She had hoped not all of the fox she knew was gone and indeed it looked as if he was still in there, if not just buried down inside waiting to be rediscovered. It had to be gradual, she knew. Too much and he could retreat back inside his own mind.

Finally reaching the end of the driveway, Judy parked the car over in one of the free spots. She was surprised there was any room at all as the yard was normally overflowing with vehicles, but several sets of tire tracks leading from the gravel to the grass around the back of the barn told her that most of the cars and trucks had been moved. Most likely her mother's doing since she doubted her father's attitude had changed at all.

As if her thoughts had been projected, the older rabbit matron appeared at the door, stepping out onto the back porch. The two mammals climbed out of the tcar, Nick a little unsteadily after his run through the woods and leaning heavily on the cane given to him by the hospital. He carried himself with as much dignity as his frail form could manage, not wanting to seem weak by any means.

All of it was for naught and his facade fell when Bonnie stepped off the porch and rushed towards the fox, wrapping him up in a tight hug. "Nicholas, I'm so glad to see you." Pulling back she looked him over from head to toe. "How are you feeling? Are you eating enough? I can whip up something if you like. I'm sure there's still some frozen fish patties from when Gideon last was over."

Grasping her paws in his, Nick was able to bring Bonnie to a halt. Looking down at her with his one good eye, he watched as her gaze flickered to his dead one before focusing intently on the green iris. The tod held in a silent sigh.  _I suppose that will happen a lot from now on._  Thankfully she didn't seem put off by it but he could see her struggling not to show the sadness she was feeling for him.

"Mrs. Hopps. I appreciate the thought but I'm not here to impose. Ca-Judy suggested we spend some time out here which I believe was your idea if my memory isn't completely fried. I remember bits and pieces," he shrugged, "but one of them was your visit. I think."

"Oh Nicholas. Yes it's very true. I wanted you to come out here. Be away from the city and be outdoors so you could heal in a peaceful environment." A sad smile flashed across his face at that. He never could get used to the generosity of country rabbits. He dealt with cynical mammals his whole life and had been insulted and looked down upon by more lagomorphs than he could count. Yet all of that could be wiped away with one heartfelt moment of a bunny mother.

"Thank you, Mrs. Hopps. I promise I won't be in the way. Umm, do you mind if I turn in? It's been a long day and I'm very tired." Examining the fox more closely, Bonnie could indeed see the bags under his eyes from barely sleeping and a sickly look to his skin.

"Of course, Nicholas. We've set up the large guest room for you. Do you remember how to get there?" With a nod, Nick started off, climbing the steps onto the porch before heading through the kitchen door. The two does watched him until he had disappeared through the opening and the screen door had closed. Bonnie turned to her daughter and regarded the distraught expression on her daughter's face. "How are you doing, hon?"

"Frankly, I could do with some rest too. I haven't slept much even when he was. I was too worried I could lose him again if I took my eye off of him." Giving her young girl a sympathetic look, she placed her paw on the doe's arm.

"I had a feeling it was something like that. That's why I set up the room next to his for you." Seeming a bit happier, unsurprising to the older rabbit, Judy went and fetched the bags from the trunk.

"What did dad say about that? I doubt he was okay with us coming here based on what he said on the phone."

"You let me handle your father." Giving her daughter a kiss and helping her into the kitchen with the luggage, she watched as Judy headed off to bed.  _Heaven help Stu if he sees Judy before I see him._

* * *

Disturbed by many haunting dreams and waking in a cold sweat, Judy sat upright in bed, gasping heavily with the name of her fox on her lips. Looking at the clock and noticing the dark night sky, she flopped back onto her pillow, hoping to get back to sleep. However, after spending what could have been hours or minutes staring at the ceiling, she knew she would not be getting anymore sleep in that bed.

Swinging her feet out over the sides, she put her paws to the floor and padded softly to the doorway. The knob creaked slightly, a consequence of not being used much or maintained for several years. Hoping it did not catch the ears of any rabbits nearby, Judy moved swiftly to the door one space over from hers. Opening it as quietly as she could, the doe slipped inside and shut the door just as silently.

Seeing the rise and fall of the much larger mammal's chest, she felt relieved that at least one of her nightmares had not come true. Climbing up the side of the bed, Judy wiggled under the covers into his arms, breathing his familiar scent in deeply. He was soothingly warm and she felt herself start to drift off, wishing to herself that she could spend every night with him.

A little while later, Nick awoke from one of the few pleasant dreams he had experienced in recent times, but as he opened his eyes he realized it truly wasn't a dream. Nestled into the crook of his neck was a soft bunny nose. Her delicate frame clutched around his, though it was light as she had been afraid to hurt him. Wrapping his arms around her, Nick dragged her closer to his body. A soft smile grew when she snuggled in closer to him. The two of them slept well, comforted by the other's embrace.


	22. Chapter 22 - New facts and old ideals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: It's lovely when inspiration falls in line with the free time you have. We're nearing the halfway mark! But let's make things a bit more problematic first. Hope you all enjoy it.
> 
> Disclaimer: So I had a brilliant idea after watching Mission Impossible extremely late at night and very tired. Unfortunately said brilliant idea has out me in debt by several million dollars. Did you know Tom Cruise and Jean Reno don't actually do stunt work like that? Cause I sure didn't when I hired them. And there wasn't even a laser grid over the ventilation duct! Turns out you can just go into the Disney vault with a regular key. Well actually four keys which all have to be turned at the same time.

The drag of metal on metal as the door latch caught was enough to make the timber wolf wince slightly. Trying to ease the door open slower and softer, the un-oiled hinges squeaked in defiance making his ears fold down. Yet despite the signs from the universe that the cat's nap was over, Delgato showed no sign of waking. Wolford really couldn't blame him. After working nearly seventy two hours straight, Delgato had finally folded to pressure and laid down in the officer's rest area. Though 'passed out' would be a more appropriate way to say it. It had taken a passing McHorn to help him get the lion into the room as he had collapsed just shy of the door.

Now, nearly three hours later, Wolford had to face the awful truth that he needed to wake his partner from the first bit of shut-eye he had seen in days. Stepping, the timber wolf sidled up to the bed, careful not to startle the other officer. He had been on the receiving end of a larger feline when they were startled awake and did  _not_  want to go to the hospital. "Hey partner," he said quietly, placing his paw on the other mammal's shoulder. "Gotta get up now."

An unconscious grumbling was all that reached his ears making him feel even worse for what he had to do. Moving over to the wall, he put his paw on top of the light switch. "Sorry buddy." Flicking it up he let the dim bulb wash over the room. The sickly color of the mammal's skin beneath the fur made Ralph shudder for his friend, only being able to imagine the amount of stress he had been putting himself through.

The temptation to turn the light back off and grant him some more rest was strong, though he knew the lion would be furious with him if he let him sleep instead of sharing vital information about the case with him. "D! We got something on the fox." Unsure if it was the light, the noise from his shout, or the mention of the dead vulpine that woke him, perhaps it was all three, but the feline's eyes opened full. Alert within mere moments, he sprang from the rather comfortable cot he had blissfully donated three hours of his life to.

"We have something? Oh Ralph please don't tell me I'm dreaming. These bastards need to go down!" Grinning, his fangs on full display, Delgato brought his large paws together and started cracking his knuckles. With most any other larger predator, Ralph may have been intimidated. Though with his friend he knew the show was merely just that. The lion tended to have his digits lock up and required him to crack them periodically throughout the day but would often use that for intimidation against some of the less forthcoming suspects.

"Well, we may have gotten a head start on that. C'mon, D. Doc and the Chief are waiting for us." To say Delgato was excited would be a gross understatement. Nearly knocking the canine over, he tore from the room throwing his badge chain back over his neck. It took him nearly half the time to reach the morgue as it normally would have and his long strides had left Wolford trailing slightly behind.

Shoving open the doors, the lion paused momentarily seeing Chief Bogo look up from the medical examiner with a scowl. Though he was determined to jump on whatever lead they had found, David Delgato was not such a fool as to interrupt the buffalo during a crucial discussion. Standing with his spine a little straighter and his chin a little higher, he waited to be addressed. Fate had other plans in mind however as the timber wolf he had left behind came through the doors, breathing a bit heavier. "Dammit, D. You could have slowed down and waited for me. Gah! Chief Bogo, sir!" Much like his partner, Wolford tried to straighten as much as possible without injuring himself.

"Wolford. Delgato. Good. We have some things to discuss about your dead fox. Wolford? Enlighten your partner as to what you found before we let Madge here give us the rundown." Giving the lion a semi-sheepish grin, Ralph cleared his throat.

"Okay, so...One of the things I did when we first found Nick before any surgeries had begun was to sniff him. Try to narrow down and lock in any scents I could. I did confirm that there was a wolf, a rabbit, a ram, and a fox involved." David waved his paw wanting him to continue. He already knew about the scent sampling as Wolford did it with every case. "Well, when I came down to check on the doc's progress, I caught a scent." He looked down at the corpse on the table, his lips curling back while a light snarl came through. Delgato, knowing his partner as well as he did, gave a start and brought his gaze downward too.

"That's right, D. This bastard here used to be one of the butchers that tortured and mutilated our brother in blue, and nearly destroyed our sister. This...is one of  _them_."

* * *

A light knocking sound echoed throughout her dreams, the noise causing her much confusion until her slowly waking mind managed to fill in the gaps of missing information. Arching her back and letting her arms stretch much as they had done anytime she had woken since she was a kit, her limbs brushed came across something much larger with a coarse feel to it. Momentarily unaware of where she was, Judy quickly pulled her covers up to hide her body as she was still in her panties and small t-shirt she normally slept in.

It wasn't until she had looked over for the source of the warmth and seen a large amount of russet fur that had her relaxing and closing her eyes once more.  _Nick._  The events of the night before came surging through. Haven't been woken by nightmares, she had padded along silently to his room and climbed in beside him, snuggling into his fur, finding his scent and touch soothing. It hadn't taken her but a few moments to fall back asleep, but now that time seemed to have passed in an instant.

The knocking unfortunately continued making her groan internally, not wanting to disturb the tod's rest. Shimmying herself away from his grasp, which was very light keeping the pressure off of his still healing chest, Judy managed to slip out without waking him. Halfway to the door she realized she was still wearing very little in the way of clothing. Sparing a glance around, the only thing she could find was the shirt and pants Nick had been wearing the day before. A small blush crept along her cheeks as she realized that he was nearly naked beneath those covers.

Knowing his pants would be far too large for her to even hold up, she instead settled for his shirt, letting the overly long length cover her down to her knees. It still hung off of one shoulder, but it was better than walking out into the hallway wearing only a pair of underwear. The knocking came once more just as she had reached for the knob, however this time she was more fully awake to hear it. It was not coming from the door in front of her, but the one next to this one. Her room.

Someone wanted to speak to her and so they logically assumed she would be in her room.  _I wonder if I'll shock whoever it is when I come out of Nick's room instead,_  she mused internally trying to stifle a giggle at the idea of one of her sister's seeing her coming out of a male's room dressed in his shirt.  _Jude the Prude, huh? Guess this will kill that stupid name. Even if we didn't do anything._ She grew thoughtful for a moment, looking back over at the fox letting her eyes travel over the scars and burns covering most of his body.  _Yet._

Turning the handle and opening the door, she slipped through unnoticed and quietly closed the door behind her, not wanting for Nick to have to wake up until she was laying with him again in case he should be fearful finding himself in a different place. Satisfied she had managed to sneak out successfully, she turned around to face whatever member of her family was trying to wake her with their incessant knocking.

Standing there, his face in shock with his arm raised to knock again, stood her father.

* * *

A look of pure revulsion was on the timber wolf's face as he fixed his eyes on the corpse of the fox laying out before them. Never had he despised a mammal so much that he wished they would come back from the dead just so that he could them himself, but this one made for a first. He almost wanted to take his claws and tear the canid's head clean off, something that both scared him and also caused him to feel a rush of adrenaline.

It was only after feeling the gaze of the cape buffalo resting on him did his head snap up and meet the eyes of the chief. The large mammal raised a brow at what Wolford was sure was a face of seething anger, though he did not do anything more than nod his head towards the M.E. who was busy explaining the details to his partner as if to tell the wolf to pay attention.

"-ealing with a short range shot. Based on the powder burns on the fur, I'd say the killer was within three to four feet away." Delgato nodded while madly scribbling on his pad.

"So to get that close and fire without the victim moving away, most likely they knew each other. What can you tell me about the gun? Left a rather large hole in this guy's head."  _Not that I'm too choked up about that except the fact I didn't get to do it._

"Yes, well I can't tell you what kind of gun it is since the bullet exited and took the back half of the fox's head with it, but I can tell you it was one made for a medium sized mammal. I would say most likely a wolf or a cougar." At that both Delgato's and Wolford's eyes widened and brows raised. Without even bothering to be subtle, Ralph leaned over and took several deep breaths. Ignoring the putrid smell from the lingering decomposition and the cleaning solution the doctor had used to clean the body, he managed to get a slight hint of a wolf's scent from near the stomach cavity.

Pulling back to try and clear his nose, Wolford nodded while covering his muzzle with his paw. "Yep. Definitely a wolf scent. I don't know if a wolf killed him but one most definitely gutted him."

"That would make sense," the badger noted, walking around the edge of the table. "The claws that made these disembowel gashes weren't as sharp as a feline but they were still powerful and large. I would say you're looking for a gray wolf, although it would be a very large one. Possibly the largest I have ever encountered based on the size of those paws."

Feeling sickened by having heard that a mammal of his own species could be capable of doing this, Wolford left the morgue and headed back for the main building area. He hoped Delgato would understand and give him a few minutes and when the door behind him did not open, he knew his partner had his back. Heading up the hallway, the timber wolf took great care not claw the walls in anger. It was a struggle not to let out some of the hatred he was feeling, but he knew nothing and no one at the precinct deserved that.  _If only we could have found that damn fox sooner. There's be nothing left to interrogate after I got done with him._

A few minutes later, after Wolford had reached his desk and sat with his eyes closed letting the tension to flow from his limbs, his feline partner stepped in and closed the door. A few steps brought him to his own chair which he quickly sat in and propped his feet up on the desk. "You alright, Ralph?"

Sighing heavily, though not yet opening his eyes, Wolford nodded. "I'm alright  _enough_. But I won't be fine until this nightmare is over."

 _I know what you mean, partner._ Pulling out his notes, he tossed them over to the canine who gave a start when they landed in his lap. "That's everything we got from the M.E. What do you think of the inclusion of a wolf to this whole triangle of crap?"

"Well, let's think about it." Picking up a tennis ball from the corner of his desk, Wolford began bouncing it off the wall. "We know we've got four mammals. One is a wolf and one is a fox. The fox down in the morgue is one of those mammals and he was killed by,  _most likely_  a wolf. One who was able to get close enough to kill him without making him run in fear. So I'm guessing it's one of the four."

Luckily for Delgato, though his eyes were tracking the movement of the tennis ball, he was used to it enough to stay with the conversation. "Yes but  _why?_  Why kill one of their own? Who fucked up that badly? And then there's this." He tossed the sealed evidence bag with the bloodied note towards the wolf. "'Alpha sends his regards.' What the hell does that mean?"

Regarding the note, making sure to look it over as closely as possible, Ralph was only to give him a shrug. "Well, the Alpha is usually the leader of the pack, obviously. You don't just kill the Alpha so the fox wouldn't be it. Rabbits and sheep don't exactly have the requirements to be Alphas. So that leaves the wolf. However, since the wolf left us this message, it would seem he isn't the Alpha either."

"So...what? We're dealing with a fifth unknown player? Are you kidding me? So now not only are we down a potential lead but the whole cult thing may have just become bigger. So on the day we finally nail down one potential lead, the case just becomes that much more difficult. Could this day get any worse?" Delgato's head thumped loudly against the top of his desk.

"Ah shit." The dread and hesitation in his partner's voice had him opening his eyes and cautiously raising up from his prone position to glance in the wolf's direction. Leaning forward, Wolford turned his computer console around to face the lion.

Blood red lettering faded away to show a bound and gagged zebra stretched out on a rack in a very familiar room.  _"Hello Zootopia..."_

* * *

"What do you need, dad?"

Though slightly taken aback when Judy had stepped out of the room, Stu was quick to recover. Letting his eyes take in the sight of her in a shirt much too large and able to smell the heavy fox musk on her even from several feet away, whatever he had been about to say was dashed from his mind. "Were you just...Are you-...and the fox-?"

"His name is Nick. You've known him for over a year," Judy said coldly, ice forming in her gaze. After all her fox had been put through in the last few weeks the doe was not about to let anyone tread on him, especially not her own family where he was supposed to be kept safe and loved.

Stu, who had only grudgingly accepted him into the burrow and had been uncomfortable with the idea of Nick staying so close to his daughter, became furious at the very idea of her being in the same fox's bed. "I knew him when he wasn't trying to take advantage of my daughter!" His harsh tone cause Judy to reel back, her eyes widening.

"Are you insane?! Did you see what they did to him?" She gestured wildly towards the closed door, trying to keep her voice as hushed as possible not wanting to disturb the fox's rest. "He couldn't take advantage of an injured mouse."

Though he knew his position was shaky, even as angry as he was he could see it, he would not step back. "Yeah? Well maybe he's using that! You ever consider  _that?"_

Judy was aghast, the look of shock and revulsion on her face easily visible. "Are you serious?! They tore off his ear! They burned his eye blind and carved things into his chest! They branded him with his own badge and ripped out his claws and you think he's going to use that to get me to sleep with him?! Out of what, pity?" Her paws had balled into fists by that point, her gesturing becoming wild. "He was muzz-."

Judy's words died off as a sudden thought flashed across her mind.  _I never told anyone about Nick's past. And as far as I know, neither did he..._  Something was nagging at her, a stray thought echoing in the back of her mind. Before she could make sense of it however, her father took advantage of the pause in her voice.

"I don't want some  _fox_  being involved with  _my_  daughter!" Judy's glare shot through him like a dagger to the heart and he mentally, if not physically, cowered before her. There were few times in her life where Judy had ever been truly angry with her parents, however this was not just anger. Stu felt blind fury projected towards him and every rabbit instinct in his bones screamed for him to run and hide.

"I may be your daughter but I am also my own damn mammal and I will be involved with whoever I so choose." Raising her paw, she pointed at the door behind her. "I love that fox with everything that I am and nothing will change that. He is the greatest mammal I have ever known."

"I won't have him under my roof." The tone of finality in his voice was one born of desperation but he stood firm behind it, folding his arms over his chest, casting a glare towards the fox's room.

"Well you don't have a say. Mom invited us here and only she can ask us to leave." Turning back to the door, Judy stopped just shy of opening it to stare at her father with a pitying look in her eyes, one tinged with anger. "I thought you had changed, dad. But you're still just as speciest as you ever were."


	23. Chapter 23 - Truth doesn't always hurt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is where the story takes a turning point. There is also the first explicit scene at the end. It is not necessary to read for the plot, just know that it happens.
> 
> Disclaimer: You know what, Disney? If you won't let me write Zootopia 2 then I'll just do it on my own! With Blackjack and hookers! And a conspiracy of murders that leads to a mole in the ZPD who is actually a mole so it's a pun that makes everyone groan. And also crazy synchronized giraffes that deliver love notes to Judy from a secret admirer that Nick vows to track down and kill because he forgot he was the one sending the messages. Silly fox.

Still upset with her father, Judy forced herself to remain calm when reentering Nick's room. With everything he had been through, the last thing she wanted was to force more onto him, especially from members of her family who they had gone to in order to escape exactly those problems. Seeing him remain motionless in the bed, she let out a sigh of relief that he had managed to sleep through her father's little tirade. It wasn't until after she had climbed up beside him and snuggled up close that the illusion was shattered.

"So I take it your dad is not exactly happy with my being here." The volume was low and the tone sad, though not without a hint of resignation in his voice as of someone who had ultimately given up. It made Judy's eyes well up, something that was a bit shocking to the doe considering how much crying she had been doing the past few weeks.

"Nick, my dad is just being ridiculous."  _Ridiculous is the kindest word I could use to describe him right now. How dare he._  So upset was she that Judy seriously contemplated going back out into the hall and throwing her father into one of the hall closets and locking him in there until they decided to leave. "Don't let what he said bother you."

Nick scoffed. "How can I not? He thinks I'm trying to sleep with you when obviously nothing is even going on between us." The snort of mock amusement that followed that statement plus the finalized tone in his words cut her deep.

"Well, I mean...there's  _something_  going on...right?" Her voice wavered slightly as several worrying thoughts entered her mind. "I mean we are in bed together wearing basically nothing. And we... _told_  each other. So th-that makes us something. Right?" The worry deep within was echoed by her lips, her words warbling with confusion and fear.

"Carrots...you know this isn't going to work." Her breath caught while her thoughts scattered to the four winds. "I'm not...whole. I'm not good enough for you. I'm-..." He sighed heavily. "You deserve so much more than I could give you. Especially now that I'm..." His next word came out lower than even a whisper but Judy caught the extremely faint sound and her heart broke. "... _broken_."

Feeling tears start to well up in her eyes, Judy sat up on her knees and carefully crawled on top of the vulpine, making sure to roll him towards her and away from the wall where he had been staring. Placing her paw on his muzzle, she stared down at him. "Nick look at me." Emerald eyes flicked towards her but refused to meet her gaze. "Nick. Please." It was not a question, nor an order. But to Nick it was something he could not refuse her.

Locking their eyes together, Judy let her tears fall at the look of hurt deep inside of him. She could sense his pain and it made her heart feel like breaking even more. "You are not broken, Nick." Seeing the warring emotions of hope and disbelief appear in his eyes and across his face, she pulled her paw away from his muzzle and placed it on his chest, over the brand on his heart where he would forever wear the mirror image of his badge. "You are loved."

Pulling her leg over him, she carefully straddled the fox, smiling lovingly down at him while he wore a look of shock. She let both of her paws roam across his chest, making sure to hover over and carefully stroke the scars. "These do not change who you are." Leaning over, she pressed her lips to the sealed gash on his nose and then trailed kisses along the burn mark over his eye. Bringing her head to the top of his, she nuzzled gently over the flap that was left of his ear. The cut had healed and velvety fur had grown over it making it more comfortable for her to rub but it would not have mattered to her either way.

Pulling back, she stared deep into his eyes, tying to convey all the love that she had for him in that single look before leaning forward and capturing his lips with her own. To the two of them it was if the gates of heaven had finally opened. The look she had given him and the attention paid to his body without hesitation or concern was enough to convince him that she truly meant everything. That she loved him for who he was and would not be deterred by what they had done to him.

Ending their kiss, Nick raised his paw and softly stroked her cheek, letting his digits sink just beneath the fur, the stubs of where his claws used to be dragging lightly along her skin. "I love you, Judy Hopps," the fox whispered.

"And I love you, my sweet Nicholas."

* * *

"He can't be here. I-I won't allow it! He needs to go." Bonnie silently fumed while her husband paced back and forth in their private den, away from their children, both grown and growing. She didn't want them to be swayed one way or the other in regards to their guest and frankly she was getting tired of Stu's ridiculous insistence against Judy's partner.

"Why are you so upset about this? I told you the two of them were in love when I got back and since then you've been nothing but a raving lunatic. He's a guest in our home and you will treat him as such. I won't have you trying to run him off, especially not when he means so much to our little girl." Though confused by their relationship, Bonnie was not going to stand in the way of their happiness if that was something Judy thought they could have. "He doesn't deserve your scorn after all he's done simply because he's a fox."

"It's not because he's a fox. I'm not a speciest for carrot's sake. I'm not!" he yelled out in response to his wife's disbelieving stare and roll of her eyes. "I mean yes, I  _used_  to have a problem with foxes but I'm past all that. Have been for a long time. Heck, we work with Gideon who attacked our child. I think that should count for something. You saw how I was at the graduation Judy invited us to. I didn't have an issue with them being partners."

"And what about their relationship? What if they develop this further? Are you going to be able to handle  _that?_ " Bonnie didn't like calling him out or putting him on the spot, but she needed him to understand that he was trying to deny his daughter, his little girl, what she wanted and needed to be happy. Something the two of them had been trying to do for ages.

Exasperated, Stu finally sat down on the edge of his easy chair he had been ignoring the past half hour. It seemed partially as if he'd run out of steam but his body was also failing in his old age and continuous pacing and stomping had started to wear on his knees. "It's...It's not that simple, Bon."

"Well then why don't you tell me what it is, Stuart Hopps. Because I'm tired of having this runaround with you." Folding her arms, the matronly doe glared at him, silently demanding an answer as well as verbally.

Rubbing his forehead to dispel a bit of the sweat building up there, Stu turned to meet her hardened gaze. "I would not mind if Judy was in a relationship with a fox, a badger, even a skunk. I want her to be happy. And a few months ago I would have been thrilled for her and Nick to have gotten together. But it's different now."

"Why? Because he's scarred? Do you think that matters to her? I don't know know why it would matter to you at all." Finding herself growing angry with her husband and herself for letting her emotions get so high, Bonnie took several deep breaths before continuing. "You have no idea why he was put through that."

"That's the problem! The fact that he  _was_! He was targeted by whatever maniac group this is and our daughter being so close to him puts her in the crosshairs. I don't want her to be their next victim. I don't think my heart could handle it." Bonnie's face softened a bit at finally understanding what had been bothering her husband. It was not about speciesm or predators or foxes. It was him being scared to death for his daughter's safety and a misguided attempt to protect her.

"Stu, sit down." Her voice was soft but it felt more like an order to the overly anxious buck. Bonnie waited until he had taken his seat before turning to face him, paws in her lap so as to keep him calm. "I know you want to keep Judy safe. I do too. But you're wrong on this, hon. Nick isn't endangering her. He  _saved_  her."

* * *

Having spent a good portion of their morning in each others arms simply enjoying the closeness, the fox and bunny slowly made their way out of the room and into the hallway. Nick was still feeling slight pains after his impromptu run through the woods and now he was paying for his stupidity. Judy was unwilling to leave him to shuffle alone and so stayed nearby. She would not be able to lend a lot of physical help but she had a feeling just being there would help his spirit. And soon the two realized they needed that greatly.

Having emerged into the main area of the burrow, the two soon encountered a lot of bunnies milling about. Most of them had an inservice day at school so nearly one hundred and fifty rabbits were stuck at home after breakfast. Needless to say their passing did not go unnoticed, nor did Nick's injuries. Whispers followed them down each hall as one after another, does and bucks conversed back and forth.

"Oh wow. Did you see his face?"  
"Yeah, what happened to him?"  
"I think that cult got him. The new one in the city?"  
"Yeah it was in the papers. He looks so different from the last time he visited."  
"He's missing an ear!"  
"And an eye. Look it's burnt."  
"He looks disgusting if you ask me."  
"No one  _was_  asking you, Gordon."  
"Why is Judy hanging onto him like that?"  
"Oh my god, do you think they are together?"  
"Janey, that's just weird. A fox and a bunny? Might as well be a wolf and a sheep."  
"It would be strange but maybe it would be good for him. For both of them."

They encountered many more comments as they winded their way through the tunnels on the quest to find the kitchen and hopefully some breakfast left for them. Judy could feel her fox becoming more sluggish with each comment about his scarring that reached their ears. Could see the sadness grow in his eyes. There was no smirk on his lips. No smugness in his face. Before too long they reached the entrance to the kitchen where Bonnie stood at the stove. Casting a glance towards them, she offered a wan smile and grabbed a pair of plates sitting on the counter next to her.

"Here you two. I saved you a couple of plates. I figured you would probably get some extra sleep." Setting them down at the closest end of the table, the older doe stepped back and resumed cleaning the stovetop. After cooking so many servings each meal, the matronly rabbit needed to keep it spotless to prevent any spills from lighting up or causing smoke to billow. And with a stove measuring nearly twenty feet in length it took a while to do so. Normally she would have several of her kits helping with the chore but as this was Nick's first morning in the burrow she didn't want them bombarded with foolish questions or embarrassing stares.

"Thank you, Bonnie. I'm sure it's delicious as always." Nick had always been a sucker for her cooking. He had eaten nearly four helpings at every meal time the last visit down. Now however he had to force himself to eat even a single forkful of what used to be his favorite blueberry pancakes. Instead he merely shuffled the food around his plate while staring off into nothing.

Judy looked on sadly, prompting him subtly to eat what he could, knowing he was going to need his strength to continue healing. It wasn't lost on her mother who looked over at the two sadly. Wiping her paws off on a nearby rag, Bonnie headed over and stood beside Nick's chair. "I never had the chance to talk to you at the hospital, Nick. I understand why obviously, but I wanted to thank you, as horrible as it may sound. I don't want you to think you don't matter beyond saving our little girl, because you do. You matter so much to me and Judy and a lot of the young ones here. And Stu," Nick cringed at the name while Judy began seething, "I spoke with him and you don't have to worry about anything negative from him anymore. He is protective of his kits, sometimes far too overprotective for my liking. But he was not aware of how much you love our Jude, and had no idea the lengths to which you went to protect her. He... may take some time to come around." Stepping in closer, she wrapped both arms around the fox, careful not to put too much pressure on his still healing wounds. "I want you to know that you are among friends...and  _family_ now."

Both mammals looked up at that, keeping their eyes trained on the older rabbit. "Mom?" Judy's voice was barely a whisper but her question was heard by both fox and bunny ears. Bonnie could only offer her a small smile before stroking her daughter's ears and turning away. Nick, who still had a look of shock in his eyes, started eating a little easier, his mind distracted by what Bonnie had just implied.

It didn't take too long for them to finish their meals, both having been relatively hungry and with Nick finally being able to eat he had quickly polished off his plate. The words from his partner's mother had touched something deep inside that he had been trying to hide and protect since he had woken up and found himself tied to that table. He never wanted to feel vulnerable again. But just like Judy, his walls were smashed apart by another Hopps bunny.

As much time that Nick had been trapped inside for several weeks, first in the cult's dungeon and then the hospital, he wanted to remain outside for as long as possible. Since Judy had already given him the grand tour the first time they had been in Bunnyburrow, there was not much for them to see so the forest became their destination. Being out in the wilderness, hearing the birds chirp and feeling the wind gently blow through his fur made Nick quite relaxed, something he had not experienced much in a long time. Not since that morning where he first woke up with Judy in his arms nearly a month ago, even if everything had spiraled out of control with only a few minutes after.  _A month. Has it really only been a month since then? It feels a lifetime ago._

Judy was not currently thinking of the time they had spent together or focusing on the sounds around them. Instead, she was watching her fox's face, feeling joy with each slight twitch of his lips when his fur was moved by the breeze. She wanted him to feel free there. She had been worried that he might not be able to handle being away from the city, but it appeared to be doing him some good so far.

"You okay, Nick?" Putting her paw on his, she let their digits intertwine before clutching it to her chest. Eyes wide in expectation, they began to tear up when he turned his face towards her and smiled softly.

"I think I will be, Carrots."

* * *

Opening bleary eyes, Judy sleepily looked to see what had caused her to waken. She wasn't sure but it had felt like something brushing up against her and forcing her body to shift slightly. It was enough though to wake her up as light a sleeper as she was. Blinking away the blurriness, she shook her head to clear away the cobwebs keeping her mind from fully perceiving the world around her. Noting the clock reading just after one in the morning, she knew she had not gotten much sleep yet, only having gone to bed a few hours before.

Movement out of the corner of her eye had her turning to face the doorway in time to see a long orange and black tail slink through it and into the hallway. Rolling over towards the warmer side of the bed, Judy confirmed what she already knew, that Nick had gotten up and left the room. Part of her wanted to go back to sleep, giving the excuse he was simply going to the bathroom. Another part however told her to follow him because it was something more than that.

Because of the chill in the night air and her lack of proper clothing to be wandering the house in the middle of the night, Judy wrapped herself in their shared comforter, relishing in both the smell of fox that enveloped her and also the warmth that she desperately wanted surrounding her again. Moving out into the hallway, Judy strained her ears, turning them in every direction hoping to find where Nick had gone. The hall to the left led to the bathrooms but Judy heard nothing to indicate he had gone that way. The same went for the hall directly in front of her. It was the muffled sound of the kitchen screen door closing to the right that had her hurrying up the sloping floors, the large blanket kept close to her body.

There were a few other rabbits still up, most of them teenagers cramming for one more test or doing homework that they had been putting off for weeks, but none of them were interested in talking to her, not that they even noticed her rushing by. Everyone was keeping their noses glued to their books. Frankly this suited Judy just fine since she wanted no part in any conversations with her siblings right then.

Reaching the swinging door herself, she opened it a lot less quiet than the vulpine had and let it slam just as loudly. She cursed her rabbit eyes since she was nearly blind in the dark. Wondering how she would find him, the clouds above parted to show the beams of a brilliant full moon casting it's light over everything. It was nearly as bright as day and her vision was no longer impeded to where she would be helpless the minute she stepped off the porch.

Catching sight of the tod near the edge of the closest field, Judy quickly sped up, hoping to reach him before he disappeared from her again.  _I don't know why he is out here or why he's walking away, but I'm not leaving him alone. Not now, not ever._ Concern for the fox had her speeding up until just before she reached the crest of the hill to find him laying underneath a medium sized tree. He was staring up at the stars, his eyes fixed on a single point of light, almost oblivious to the world around him. Almost.

"I'm sorry if I worried you, Carrots. I was feeling very...claustrophobic in there." Though he made no movements, an unspoken word went between them that had Judy laying down next to him so he could wrap his arms around her as she buried herself into the crook of his neck. Shimmying around, they finally got one side of the comforter angled over Nick and the two snuggled closer for warmth. Neither of them had prepared to actually leave the burrow with Nick being only in a pair of boxers and Judy wearing a small nightshirt and a pair of underwear. "I still have a hard time believing it."

"What is it, Nick?" Looking up from where her head rested, she reached up to stroke his cheek with her paw. "What can you not believe?"

"That you actually want to be with me." The tone in his voice was that of disbelief and shock, however there was a large amount of sadness within it too. He didn't just have a problem accepting it was real, but also that he truly believed it wasn't. That there was no way what he was experiencing  _could_  be real.

"You dumb fox." He looked down in surprise only to meet her lips with his own, the gray bunny slowly climbing up his body. Still keeping their lips pressed against the other, Judy ran her paws down to his side, bringing his own paws up to her waist before letting go and stroking the fur along his body. Her touched caused his body to respond, arching upward to meet her hips with his own while his much larger paws roamed along her fur, pushing up underneath her shirt and down along her back.

_*Explicit*_

Judy moaned when she felt his paws make contact with the skin on her back. Sliding just beneath the fur, it felt like nothing she had ever imagined before. His touch was heaven to the doe and served to heighten her desires for the mammal beneath her. None of her previous lovers, few though they were, had ever made her feel like this.

Nick placed his paws on her waist and lifted her up closer to him. She broke their kiss with a gasp, feeling his thumbs pushing very close to the edges of her sex. So large were his paws that they encircled her completely, giving her a sensation of both being overpowered and protected at the same time, two instincts at the core of her being in conflict with each other that aroused her greatly.

Sitting up, the doe removed her nightshirt, revealing her naked chest to the tod. If Nick had been doubting before, those hesitations were washed away when his digits trailed along her chest making her chitter happily and shiver in response. Placing her soft and small paws to either side of his cheeks, she gazed down into his eyes, watching the mix of love and lust surging through the vibrant green. Such was his desire that she could feel the burning gaze through even the cloudy iris of his other. His paws roamed freely along her body, most of his attention focused on her bottom, which she had caught him staring at recently. She assumed there had been other times but she was too blinded by ignorance to see and it had cost them greatly.

Leaning down, she pressed her soft lips to his larger ones, enjoying the tiny nips of his fangs on her mouth. It was such a primal feeling to have one's natural predator putting their teeth to their body and for Judy it was no different. A rush of arousal flooded her system, something not lost on the tod who pulled back, taking light sniffs of the air. With each breath, she could see his lips curl upward more while his trapped tail began thumping loudly.

Nick was slowly going mad with need. Overcome with desire, he trailed his paws to her bottom and gripped tightly. Unable to resist, he finally gave into a temptation that had been driving him crazy for months and let his digits glide over her poofy tail. The small gasp and arch of her back emboldened him and he lightly wrapped his paw around it, stroking and squeezing it making her shudder and her arousal spike.

Judy reached behind her and gently dragged his paws away. The loss of contact had him fearful for just a moment, worried she was changing her mind and was turned off by his appearance. However, those thoughts fled when her eyes met his and a loving smile was on her lips. Putting her paws on his chest, she pushed herself upward and slid down his body. Dragging her hips over his, Nick was unable to prevent a moan that escaped when she rubbed against his shaft through his boxers.

Noting how hard the bulge was that she just brushed against, Judy only became more aroused, something she didn't think was possible at that point. Her paw, which she was shocked to see was completely steady considering how her whole body seemed to be vibrating, made it's way to the opening in his boxers before going past the fabric to find the hot foxhood inside. Giving it two slow strokes, she reveled in how it made her fox whine and shiver underneath her. Pulling it through, she couldn't help but stare at the hard shaft, already unsheathed and twitching in her paw.

Swallowing heavily, Judy shifted her hips closer. Pushing her panties, completely soaked from her arousal, to the side, she raised up and positioned herself over his tip. Letting it part her folds, they shared a moan before her legs gave out and gravity did the rest of the work. Sliding down his shaft, Judy growled, her voice heavy with lust. When their hips finally met, she purred in satisfaction. She had been afraid she would be unable to take all of him, but she never did know when to quit.

Nick couldn't stop himself from letting out a short howl at the feel of her tight sex squeezing around his shaft. Though not his first, Judy was by far the best and they had only just begun. He would not be surprised to find himself dead and in Heaven before the night was done if this was any indication of how their whole experience was going to be.

Gazing down at his face of pure rapture made the bunny want to kiss him, but their sizes made that sadly impossible. Instead she reached to stroke his cheek while pressing her lips to the brand over his heart. Sitting back up, she allowed herself to raise up, almost allowing his cock to slip from inside of her. Holding herself there until his eyes sought out hers, she slowly slid back down. "I'm never going anywhere, sweetie. I'm yours and you are mine. For always."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Post A/N: This will be the only scene like this in the story. It was meant to portray the seriousness of Judy's commitment to Nick and fully convince him she was in it for the long haul. I do hope you enjoyed it.


	24. Coming to terms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I know it's been a while. And it's short. Sorry about that. School and life and stuff. Been having trouble getting inspiration to write these days. Weather and depression and no sunlight, etc. but I wanted to get this out for everyone.
> 
> Disclaimer: Just spent 3 hours wrapping presents for my children. We buy trash to put gifts in that will last 10 seconds before it becomes even trashier trash. And the entitled kids won't even look at the thing longer than 5 milliseconds before demanding a new one. This has nothing to do with anything, it's just a parental rant. Carry on.

It was a bittersweet moment as the pair left the Burrows behind. More than once Judy had been tempted to stay in the countryside, finding a place for Nick and herself to stay there instead of returning to Zootopia. She wanted him safe and with her. She had an awful feeling that if they set their feet inside the city line that something would happen that they may not be able to come back from. But Nick had been insistent. This had become personal to him and he was determined to take care of the mammals responsible for it all.

He could feel his bunny's eyes on him.  _My bunny_ , he thought to himself.  _After everything that's happened she still ended up with me. Either I am the luckiest bastard alive,_  a musing that left a bitter taste in his mouth at the sight of his mutilated reflection in the window,  _or Karma really wants to make up for what I went through. Either way, I'll take it._

The trip had gotten off to a rocky start with Stu showing some heavy speciest attitude towards Nick, however it had quickly come to light, after being scolded by both his wife and daughter, that he was scared that the cult would go after Judy since they had already targeted her partner. It had taken him a few days, but after learning that Nick had sacrificed himself to protect her, Stu had changed his tune very quickly. He had even spent some time alone with the fox, getting to know the mammal and eventually giving them his blessing with the assurance that Nick never let any harm come to his daughter.

It had almost been impossible to leave as it was. In the two weeks they had spent in Bunnyburrow, Nick had gained quite a following in the form of the young Hopps children who did not want to see him go. While some of the older rabbits needed a bit of an adjustment to get used to Nick's appearance, the kits had no such problem. From the moment Nick was able to sit up without feeling as if the pain would cause him to pass out, he was covered in adorable fluffy bunny kits. He spent his mornings playing make believe with them while the adults handled the crops and his afternoons usually saw him smothered under piles of fur while he read stories or they watched movies.

Of course his nights were spent with his new mate, the two of them making up for so much lost time, though they had to be patient and take things slow. It wouldn't do for Nick to end up in the hospital again because they were unable to reign in their hormones. There was still so much to learn about each other physically but they both were willing to take the time. Neither wanted to ever let the other one go.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Nick?" Judy tried once more in an attempt to convince her fox that they did not need to return to the city. She was more than willing to leave it all behind. Her career meant nothing to her anymore. Not after being abandoned by the one mammal she had always looked up to. She held no malice towards the other officers on the force, but her loyalty had been destroyed by their trusted leader.

"I'm sure, Carrots. It's time I did something about this." Touching the shirt over his heart he winced slightly when he pressed on the brand mark. While the pain had faded over his healing time, each injury left a lasting mental impression. Whenever they were touched he would have a momentary flashback to when it had been caused. "I need to bring the fight to them."

"To them? Nick, do you know who these mammals are?" There was no doubt in her mind that he had known nothing about them earlier, as he would never has risked the lives of the innocent victims the cult had targeted. The only logical conclusion she could think of was that something during his time there had given him an idea.

"No. Sorry Carrots, I didn't mean to infer anything." He wished he knew who they were and where to find them because this would end. And violently. "There was...something. I'm not sure. It feels like for one moment I knew everything but then it was torn from me."

Judy frowned before turning back to the road ahead of them. Oddly enough she knew exactly what he meant. As if something had been revealed and now was simply a fleeting memory, intent on evading their grasp. She still couldn't shake the feeling that it was important.

* * *

"Where are we at, Wolford?" The tone of Bogo's voice was gruff and impatient, the tone of someone who was getting angry at the lack of progress. However anyone who truly knew him would see there was an outer edge to it, tinged with fear and uncertainty. The cult's reign of terror had been going on for over two months with no end in sight and they were no closer to any sort of lead.

Trading glances with his feline partner, the timber wolf cringed before answering. "Honestly, sir? Dead in the water." While expecting a tirade, possibly a bellow loud enough to make his ears bleed, it was a rather odd sight for the wolf to see his Chief sigh and bring a hoof up to his face. Turning back towards his face, Ralph gave Delgato a concerned look to which the lion could only shrug.

"We've got no leads at this point, Chief," Delgato continued, taking the pressure off his partner. "If any of the rabbit does we investigated were the culprits they were damn good at hiding it. We're out of suspects on that end. The ram is still a dead end as well, not to mention the fox corpse we found. If there  _was_  anything to go by, we don't know where to find it."

Bogo slumped up against the door frame of their office suddenly looking twenty years older. "Their last victim, the zebra, died due to his wounds at the hospital. We got nothing from him before he passed. Forensic evidence was also clean."

"Chief," Wolford had a hard time bringing this up but he felt it was important. "We're out of options except for one. We need Nick back here." For a moment there was a flicker of something that crossed the buffalo's face. A mix of shame and fear that was extremely disconcerting to the duo. It was something that they had noticed a few times whenever Nick or Judy was brought up. "He's our only possible hope at this point."

Considering what trying to call them in would mean facing, Chief Bogo was not at all looking forward to making that call. However he knew his detectives were right. "I'll see about getting them back here. Let me know if you think of anything."

When he stepped back out int0 the hall, Bogo felt a sharp chill run up his spine causing him to shiver. He couldn't know it, but that was the moment when a certain fox and bunny crossed the Zootopian line.


	25. The return home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Okay. So. Confession time. I have been so out of it lately that all of my writing has gone POOF! Like zero inspiration, zero muse, zero drive. And it suuuuuuucks. I know this is a short chapter but I wanted you all to have something towards the build-up of this next phase so...here you go. Hopefully my drive will come back for this story and all of my others soon. Don't worry. None of my stories are dead or abandoned.
> 
> Disclaimer: Going to Disney World in a few weeks. I will steal the Declaration of In- I mean Rights to Zootopia. Gotta stop binging Netflix late at night.

From the moment they had crossed the city line, Nick had been feeling anxious. His skin beneath his fur seemed to crawl and itch and the urge to jump from the car was not easily ignored. He knew why he was reacting the way he was. While it had been his idea to return to the city in order to help take down the cult, it did not stop him from panicking over the reality of what he was going to be facing.

It was one thing to deal with the looks of shock and pity from Judy's family since he did not know all three hundred or so of them, but the looks from strangers was quite different than the look from friends and co-workers. He was not looking toward the reception he was likely to get once they arrived at the ZPD. Judy wanted them to go to his apartment and rest up first. To go in the next day instead. However Nick decided that the band-aid approach of getting it over with would be the best. He was worried that if he waited he would lose his nerve and be unable to go in at all.

It was brave words on his part but inside he was a mess. It wasn't being back to work that bothered him. The job he knew he could still do. No, it was the looks he knew he would get from his fellow officers. Looks of pity and hollow words. There would be a few that would look past everything eventually and be the same mammals towards him the way there were before, but everyone else would no longer see the first fox of the ZPD, but the tortured mammal screaming on live display across Zootopia. The one was blinded and muzzled in front of their eyes. The idea of just having to deal with that was causing him a great amount of anxiety.

When they had dropped off the rental car, with Judy negotiating the cost of keeping it longer than originally planned, Nick had stood in the shade of a nearby tree, his aviator shades covering his eyes from passerby. There was nothing he could do about his missing ear but luckily there were very few passersby. Once Judy had finished all of the paperwork, the two of them set off for the precinct, having to board a bus to cover what would normally take an hour to walk. They had found a pair of seats near the back where Nick made sure to keep his head down as much as possible, flattening his remaining ear to his head in order to try to hide the fact he only had the one.

He was mostly ignored since most mammals using public transportation really weren't looking to socialize, preferring to keep their noses in a newspaper or glued to their phone. A small child, a raccoon pup, noticed the fox and bunny nearby and stared with curiosity. He had never seen a bunny holding a fox's paw before and he shook his mother's pant leg, pointing at the couple. Judy fidgeted slightly, not enjoying the attention they were getting because of how it would most likely make Nick feel. The tod had been watching the pup just as much as he had been watched and found the questioning gaze amusing. Once his mother was alerted it became far less.

His eyes were still hidden behind his sunglasses but the change in posture and hardened lines in his jaw gave off strong defensive signals. The female raccoon's eyes met Judy's briefly, seeing the nervousness in her body language, yet also taking note of the tightened muscles in her arms and legs, a sign from bunnies that usually meant they were in protective mode. Given the orange paw she was holding the mother guessed she was protecting a friend, possibly a mate. It didn't matter to her what their species was. It wasn't her life and if they found love in someone, well, species was not a reason to keep from being happy.

It was when her gaze had tacked to the mammal beside her that caused her to gasp, though she had managed to make it silent enough the tod couldn't hear it. Judy's eyes narrowed letting the female know she  _had_  heard her and the twitch of her paw was a clear warning to watch her step around them. Gripping her pup's hand a little tighter, she approached the two mammals sitting at the back. Judy's body tensed with each step closer they took, ready to jump in and defend her fox. Nick meanwhile had not lessened his guard but he had not made any threatening motions towards the two. When the raccoons finally stopped in front of them, Nick finally met her eyes. He hated the look of pity in them but surprisingly there was a small amount of what looked like admiration.

"Officer Wilde." He didn't ask how she knew his name, there was no mistaking it. Everyone would know it by now after the video. "I want to say that I'm sorry about everything you had to go through." He hesitated but nodded sharply, hoping that would finish it but she chose to go on. "Hollow words, I know. We cannot understand it and I know you wouldn't want us to. I do thank you for protecting the city, even when some have done everything in their power to hurt you because of it."

They were words he had not been expecting to hear and, while he felt it remained to be seen if they were still true, he appreciated them nonetheless. A small smile came over his lips as he nodded at the mother, still hidden behind his aviators but giving her a response she could tell was genuine and appreciated. The sight of a head poking out behind her legs had Nick looking down, noticing the pup that had been hiding behind his mother while she talked. She noticed where he was looking and glanced down. "Oh. This is my son, Andrew. He is quite a big fan of yours, Officer Wilde."

"Well hello there, little guy." Nick spoke carefully, avoiding showing his teeth so that the young pup wouldn't see the torn out fang and the scar it left behind.

"Hi Mr. Wilde," the child murmured the greeting softly, his embarrassment at meeting one of his idols getting the best of him. He must have been only nine or ten years old. "Are you feeling better? I saw those other mammals were really mean."

Nick's eyes widened while Judy cried out in horror. "He  _saw_  it?!" Neither of them could believe the pup in front of them had been exposed to such a horrendous thing at his young age.

"Yes." The mother's tone was dark, displeasure hardly being an adequate word to describe her sudden mood. "One of the children at his school found the video on his smartphone and spent a day showing it to all of the kids in his class. I assure you that child will not be going back to that school for a  _very_  long time."

"It's okay, Mr. Wilde. My daddy told me it was a very bad thing that happened. I'm sorry you got hurt." He stepped in a bit closer and waved the fox down. Nick, still upset at the idea of the small child being exposed to that horror, bent down low enough that the pup could lean in close to his ear. "I really liked how you tricked that wolf into howling. That was really cool." Though pained, Nick gave the young raccoon a smile.

"Thanks. Wolves like to howl, don't they?" Andrew nodded emphatically, overjoyed he had been able to speak to the officer he had looked up to ever since finding out about him becoming a cop.

"Andrew, we have to go. It's our stop." The mother raccoon took the young boy's hand and led him out the door, the pup turning back to wave just before he stepped out onto the street.

"Well look there, Slick," Judy said while rubbing the vulpine's shoulder, glad to feel it slightly less tense than it had been before they got onto the bus. "You got more than bunnies behind you." Nick sat back, rubbing Judy's paw with his own, lightly brushing her fur with his paw pad.  _Yeah. Maybe._

* * *

With the lunch rush came noise. An entire hour filling the center of town with cars and buses going every which way, almost always ensuring the harsh yells of irritated drivers and the occasional bumper tap. Pedestrians trying to hurry over the crosswalks before the lights changed would often lead to a few bumps and curses exchanged before the offenders resumed their travel with some murmured grumbling. Vendors, especially those in food trucks, would call out trying to attract in new customers. The phrases that were once witty now just a poorly designed slogan but would still draw in patrons off the sidewalks.

The giant crowds would have caused Nick to hesitate, possibly even cause some anxiety. The noise and distractions overriding all the progress he had made the past few weeks because his sense of control would be disrupted. But the hubbub and chaos had slowed by the time they had reached the ZPD's front steps, the end of the lunch rush having passed a few minutes earlier with most mammals back in their offices for the afternoon.

Standing at the bottom of the steps, staring up at the glass doors leading into the building, Nick had to swallow hard and focus on keeping his paws steady. Just on the other side of the glass were dozens of officers, his co-workers and friends, waiting for him to arrive though they had no idea he was even coming. The tod knew he needed to do this. He couldn't understand why he felt so afraid. They were his  _friends._ Why should he fear them?  _They care about me. I know they do. Carrots told me all about the assembly and how they were ready to do anything to find me. So why can't I move?_

Judy watched as Nick seemed paralyzed to even lift his foot onto the next step above him. She was torn between a desire to just whisk them away to his apartment and make him wait until he was ready, and taking him by the paw and lightly pulling him towards the doors.  _It needs to be his decision. I can only be there to support him, not choose for him._ With that thought clear in her mind, Judy reached out and clutched his paw in hers. The difference in their sizes was so vast with Nick's paw able to envelop hers completely, yet to the fox it felt as if hers could encompass his whole body. The strength he could feel from her tiny gray paw had him glancing down at their linked digits before looking up into her lavender irises. Her soft smile and supportive squeeze she gave him was like a fog lifting from around him. Taking a deep breath and letting the mild shivers in his chest calm, Nick squared his jaw and began walking up the steps.

Keeping pace with his stride, Judy watched his expression closely. She was still tempted to force him to stop and lead him away from this place, but he had seemed so adamant about returning that she could not deny him that. However, his gritting teeth and rapid heartbeat, both things she was able to hear, warned her of potential health issues and she made the decision that if anything happened to make him grow worse that he would be out of there if she had to cuff him and drag him out herself.

Now directly in front of the doors, one paw on the handle set for smaller mammals, Nick drew in a deep breath and the two of them walked in.


	26. Chapter 26 - A Wilde welcome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Gonna get a bit serious in this chapter. You know, as if this whole story wasn't serious enough already. Nick back at the ZPD for the first time. How will this go? More importantly, will Judy punch Bogo's face in?
> 
> Disclaimer: When you get in a funk, it truly sucks. When the funk is gone? It sucks even more because you can't stop writing! Gah!  
> Oh and I don't own Zootopia. Yet.

It had been so many weeks since blackened fox paws had crossed the threshold of Precinct One. Yet for the mammal who did pass through the doorway it felt as if it had been a lifetime. Familiar sights like the rotunda seemed almost oppressive while at the same time welcoming. Nick figured it would be a while before his mind would allow him to separate the trauma past from the present.

Judy kept alongside the fox, making sure to watch his every move. A slight tremor in his arms indicating he was nervous. An almost imperceptible hesitation in his leg moving forward. The twitch at the corner of his lips as he tried to suppress an instinctual grimace. All of it was significant and it made her wish he had listened and gone home instead.

Nobody in the atrium that day could have pinpointed exactly when Nick was first noticed, or even who had seen him first, but an unnatural calm swept across the lobby almost instantly. Dozens of heads turned towards the fox who felt their gazes of wonder and astonishment on him.

Before anyone could move or even utter a word, there came a shrill cry from across the atrium. "Nick! You're back!" A blur of orange and blue sped towards the tod, knocking over a few officers unlucky enough to be in front of the fat cheetah who moved faster than anyone could remember ever seeing.

A grunt managed to escape Nick's muzzle after being swept up into Clawhauser's pudgy arms, the air being forced from his lungs. "Spo-ots! Air! Can't. Breathe." The prods at the cheetah's arms and back went unnoticed until Nick began thumping him, trying to push through the flab to actually trigger the feline's attention.

"Oh! Oh my gosh, I am so sorry." Carefully setting him down, Benjamin took a small step back to look him over. Though he had visited the fox during his time in the hospital, seeing him directly in front of his own eyes was a much different experience. The milky white of his eye directly in the middle of a permanently burnt patch of fur and skin drew his attention first. He couldn't help the wave of pity and sadness flowing through him while looking at the top of the fox's head where only one ear remained.

Nick sighed internally while watching the fat cheetah's gaze sweep over him. He knew this was going to happen and he had to force himself not to cringe. The grimaces and looks of horror sweeping over the dispatcher's face had been an all too common thing Nick had to live with over the past few weeks. However he didn't think he would ever get used to it.

Other officers had come over to stand behind Clawhauser, all of them wearing expressions of pity in one form or another. Nick didn't fail to acknowledge them but then they all started clapping, telling him they were proud of how strong he had been. It started to make him feel sick. Judy could feel him becoming very tense. Putting her paw in his and lacing their digits together, she gave him a slight tug to gain his attention. Once he had looked down, his one green eye focusing on her, she gave a sideways nod of her head signaling that she wanted the two of them to leave the lobby. He gave her a grim smile, careful to keep his lips closed so as not to reveal his missing teeth.

Clawhauser saw their paws together and his look of sadness turned into a squeal of delight. Judy knew he had been the most supportive of the two of them getting together and had held out hope for months. Now seeing them finally show their affection to one another it was more than he could take. Wrapping them both up into a tight hug, he let out a laugh of delight. "It's about time!"

Judy couldn't help but give him a grin in return. It felt strange on her lips as before they had gone to Bunnyburrow she had not smiled once. But it felt good. She wanted the moment to last, especially upon seeing Nick's contented smile. He had been shown real happiness towards him and it did much to ease his worries. And so Judy was happy as well. Until a few moments later.

Entering the atrium from a side hall, Chief Bogo noticed the large gathering in the center of the room, suspects cuffed to desks while they waited for their arresting officer to come back. The buffalo was about to bellow and took in a deep breath when his eyes met those of enraged violet.

Swallowing his words, Bogo attempted to compose himself. He had been unaware the two were returning that day, or even returning at all. Seeing them, especially Judy with the murderous glare being sent his way out of the rest of the officers sight, had rocked him back. Gathering himself to appear professional, the large mammal called out calmly with a gruff undertone.

"Hopps. Wilde. Glad to see you are back." Judy's narrowing eyes told him she didn't believe a word he said but the truth of the matter was that he was glad. After the case had stalled and their only hope seemed to be Nick's recollection, he had been formulating a way to get them to come back to work. "I want to see you in my office to debrief and get you up to date on the case."

Judy wanted to protest, not wanting Nick to get anywhere near the case until he felt ready. Her fox though had other plans. "Be right there, Chief." Bogo nodded sharply and headed up the staircase next to him, intent of getting to his office before they did as he wanted to get ready for it.

Turning towards the fox, Judy brought her arm to his shoulder, rubbing it softly. "Are you sure about this? We don't have to jump right into it so soon. We don't have to jump into it at all. Just say the word and we're gone. On the train back to the burrow." Nick placed his paw on top of hers and gave her a wan smile.

"It's okay, Fluff. If we can help at all we should. Not for him, but for everyone else. My comfort level shouldn't mean more mammals are put in danger." Still keeping their paws together Nick started for the stairs with Judy reluctantly following along.

Staring at her boss across the desk between them, Judy couldn't keep the anger off her face. She had not forgotten how his incompetence had nearly gotten the mammal she loved killed. She was under no illusion. She knew exactly what had happened and why, but that did not absolve him of wrongdoing. The Chief of police had no right to panic and causing harm to come to their officers. And there would be no forgiveness from her. To her, the buffalo was dead and only the shield kept her following orders, though that was quickly changing.

Nick sat stoically. He had no emotions being shown towards the chief in any way. The sight from normally his most opinionated and sarcastic officer was as unnerving to the buffalo as all of the fox's injuries. He had seen them during the Tod's catatonic state in the hospital, had them engrained into his memory, yet it never stopped his eyes from roving over them even for just a few moments.

Seeing all of the injuries and knowing it was partially his fault that Nick had ended up in that position was making him uncomfortable. Though he knew that if he showed any signs of discomfort or avoiding him, then the rabbit would call him out on it. Instead he decided to jump right it.

"We've hit a dead end in the case." Bogo quickly leaned back when what could only be described as a gray demon from hell leapt from the shared chair of the fox onto his desk. Eyes lit with an inner fire, Judy reached out and grabbed the buffalo's shirt. The sight would have been amusing with the size difference, but there was no humor in Bogo's eyes.

"You WHAT?!" Nick recognized the signs of his partner toeing the edge of giving into her emotions and stood, grabbing her off the desk and pulling her back to the chair. His face still showed no signs of his current thoughts. Straightening his shirt Bogo pulled out a file and slipped his reading glasses on, trying to cover up the fact that the bunny was making him slightly fearful, and not just because of the leverage she had on him with Internal Affairs.

"We tracked dorm the ram's name and address but the lead at the house turned up nothing. No papers anywhere. No computer, no forwarding address, no signs of being lived in for quite a while. He's a complete ghost. If that wasn't bad enough, Wolford and Delgato managed to use your tip about a female rabbit being one of the fanatics and located multiple potential suspects. However each one ended up having an alibi or did not fit the profile." Pulling out a second file, the Chief scanned it and began to speak but was cut off.

"There are thousands, tens of thousands of bunny does in this city," Judy stated haughtily. "What makes you think the handful you looked into was the only pool of suspects?"

"Paper trail." The words came not from in front of Judy, but to the side. Bogo's own attention snapped towards the fox, hearing him for the first time since the duo had sat down. "Those were the only ones that were part of anti-pred groups I'm guessing. But that's still a large pool so it will be those who were in the same group at the same time as the ram. That about sum it up?"

Bogo would have been proud of his officers right then. Not even back to the precinct for an hour after weeks of recuperating and already they had figured out the specifics of their investigation. "That's the gist of it, yes. We need to know anything else you have. Everything you remember."

"That's enough!" A snarl let loose from the rabbit. She had only to glance at her fox to see how white his face had become. His eyes had widened, the whiteness in stark contrast of it's neighbor's brilliant green. She could hear his heart pounding heavily, the beats coming even more rapidly. She could sense he was near another panic attack. "I will not let you-"

The feel of a comforting paw on her arm had her drawing up short. Slowly looking over, she saw the determination in her fox's eye. The way he swallowed his fear and anxiety. Staring dead at the buffalo, Nick set his jaw. "I'll tell you what I can."


	27. Reliving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This my break some hearts but it's time for Nick to come to terms with it all.
> 
> Disclaimer: You all have no idea how hard it is to write something so dark when all of my other stories are so bright and fluffy. But maybe it will disarm Disney security enough for me to slip by when I send it to their company emails.

_I was surrounded by cold. It was in the metal beneath me. The chains holding my wrists in place. It was the air though. The air caused my lungs to burn with each breath. I don't know if it was intentional or just a factor of where I was being held, but each frozen breath seemed like it could be my last._

_I had no idea where I was or how long I had been there. It may have been minutes. It may have been days. The only sound that reached me was a steady dripping that echoed off the walls, but I never knew if it was in the room with me or quite possibly just in my head. Occasionally I would hear a scream from outside and I would struggle to get free, but it never worked._

_I never gave them any satisfaction of pleas or cries to be released. I knew you all were looking for me and that hope kept me going. Until the thirst hit. I've been in tough situations before. Handled being on the streets, lived in shit-holes that should have been condemned before it was even built. Hell, my current apartment is like that now. But when your mouth has dried up and each motion of your tongue feels like sandpaper against your gums? That's something I wasn't prepared for. Still I held on. I kept telling myself that soon I would see light coming into the room and a bunch of blue uniforms storm in with a jug of ice cold water and a pitcher of beer to celebrate._

_And then the door_ did _open._

_And slivers of light shone into the room._

_And in walked a beast in all black, masked to hide his identity. And then I did something that even the intense cold had not made me do. I shivered._

_Something changed in me then. It took me a while to figure it out, but when the first blade touched my skin I knew what it was. The hope I had struggled to hang onto, was gone. I knew I was going to die._

_But that didn't didn't make me curl up and weep. No. I was going to make sure those bastards went down with me. And so I belittled them. Insulted them. Drove them crazy and pissed them off. All to make them slip up. To make a mistake and give away something vital. And finally it did. And I got the message out._

_And then everything got worse. My living nightmare became a terror. There was…so much pain. So much blood running over my fur and skin. I could smell it all. The stench of burnt fur and scorched skin pooling with cauterized blood. My body tried to retch so many times but I just couldn't. It would just slip back down into my stomach and it would start all over again._

_I found myself drifting in and out of consciousness, my body trying to escape the pain. But new ones would snap me back. So many things began to blend together to the point where I don't even remember them. But there a few that I will never forget._

_The perversion of my badge being branded into my chest. A mirror image of what I had sworn to uphold. Forever marring my skin and not even letting me have the relief of having new fur grow over it. The red hot wire twisted and placed to burn letters into my flesh. A mockery of the institution I was now a part of._

_And the tearing of my paws. I felt every nerve being ripped out with my claws. I can still feel the agony whenever I close my paws. My fang was even worse. I don't know why they only stopped at the one, but I thank whoever is watching over me that they did._

_When that monster paused in his torture to address the city watching me be destroyed bit by bit, for a brief moment I wanted it to end. I was willing to die to escape the pain. But I wasn't allowed that mercy. I was blinded by fire. One eye left useless and disgusting to look at. My ear was not just cut, but sawed off. I felt it disappear from my head._

_And then, something that I felt at that point was impossible, it became worse. They trapped me inside my own personal hell. My mouth was locked down, unable to even let me scream. My one working eye could see the meshed steel mocking me. And it became too much. I broke._

"I didn't even know I had been set free until I came to in the hospital." Nick's tale had finished with two very shocked mammals directly in front of him, both unable to even begin to speak.

Wolford and Delgato had come to hear Nick's full recount in hopes there might be something they might have missed that could help with the investigation. But even having seen the torture take place, they were unprepared for the reality of what their friend had faced. Judy had sat with him the whole time, clutching his paw in support. She did not want him to have to relive the event but he was adamant that if it could help then he would deal with it.

One thing that had bothered Judy was that the Chief had stood and left partway through the retelling. As if hearing it from the Tod's mouth was too much for him to handle. It incensed the rabbit and had made her want to chase him down and drag him back. To force him to hear the hell he had put her fox through. But she stayed near Nick, not willing to leave his side for even a moment.

Thankfully Nick had either not noticed or just didn't care that his boss had left since she did not think it would help the situation any. Instead he had focused on divulging the details to his fellow officers, though it almost seemed like it was done just for himself.

"Nick…I can't…I can't even begin to imagine or understand what you went through," Wolford began but Nick held up his paw to stop him.

"Wolfie, I would never  _want_  that to happen to you, or anyone ever again." Though there was sadness in his voice, Wolford still felt optimistic that Nick had used his old nickname for the wolf.

This time it was Delgato who leaned forward. "Wilde, I hate to press you so soon after this, but I need to know if you noticed  _anything_  we might be able to use. We've hit so many dead ends that we're desperate for even something minor to go on."

Nick had become so invested with getting out his experience that he had nearly forgotten why he was doing it In the first place. "I…I think I may have something. I remember there was a smell. A salty one. Mixed with a water in the air. I think I may have been near water. I couldn't hear anything but that smell was definitely there."

"Salt air. That could be the docks," Wolford noted. Delgato scribbled furiously in his notepad that had been overwhelmed by details of Nick's story.

"It's more than we got right now. Thanks Wilde." The lion stood to leave before stopping and turning back to the fox who had a vacant expression on his face. Crouching down, he delicately laid a very large paw on Nick's much smaller one, careful not to put any pressure on him. Nick looked up to see the heartfelt look on Delgato's face, the first the feline had ever sent his way. "I'm glad you're back Nick." He did not offer any words of sympathy, just ones of sincerity.

Nick nodded unable to voice his thoughts. He was overwhelmed by the support the lion had just given him and was even more so when Wolford bent down on one knee and gave him a tender hug to convey his own feelings.

Judy could see the emotions flashing across his face and the tear coming to his emerald eye and it filled her with the small amount of joy she had left. She knew he had friends that would support him even if he refused to believe it.

After they had left she turned to her fox and put her paw on his shoulder. He grasped it and squeezed tightly, a non-vocal thank you for her sitting with him the whole time. He knew it was probably incredibly difficult for her to listen and he didn't want to put her through that, but he appreciated the support.

"Judy. I…want to be alone for a little while." She looked at him in concern since he had needed her with him at all times the past few weeks. "It's okay, Fluff," he reassured her. "It was just…hard to say all that and I just want some silence. Why don't you go help Wolfie and see if you can give them any help on those rabbits they were looking for. I'll be here when you get back."

Judy considered his request. She was worried that if he was alone he would have another panic attack like the one he had had two weeks ago, but ultimately she decided to give in knowing that if he felt trapped then he truly  _would_  have one.

Standing on the chair beside him, she leaned over and gave him a soft kiss, exchanging smiles with her tod before hopping down. Looking back once to see him still smiling at her, she closed the door quietly. With it being Bogo's office, she knew the likelihood of someone disturbing him was very slim. She headed for the elevator to reach Ralph and Delgato's office.

Nick wasn't sure how long he had been there, but what he felt as all too soon was when the doorknob jiggled and the door swung wide. Just beyond the frame was a massive cape buffalo. Bogo's face showed surprise at the vulpine sitting in front of his desk.

Swallowing hard in nervousness, not having spent any time alone with his officer since the incident, Bogo made his way over to his chair. Deciding to leave him to his own thoughts, the buffalo sat. Trying to keep his head down, Bogo could suddenly feel a gaze focused on him. Looking up and seeing the fox's one good eye staring hard at him while the other dead one seemed to bore into his soul, he forced himself not to shiver.

"Chief." The words were soft with a morose tone to them, but Bogo heard it clearly. "Judy told me... Did I really go through all of that...for nothing...because you left me there?"

Unable to give him an answer that wasn't a lie, Bogo sat in silence. Nick bowed his head letting a tear track down his cheek and fall. Getting up, he let without a word or even a glance.


	28. Desperate times

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Been a while. So busy with things. Renovating half my house it feels like. Good news I've learned how to plumbing!
> 
> This chapter is a turning point and marks the next steps in the fight. Enjoy.
> 
> Disclaimer: Florida. The land of gators, Disney World, and the center of the sun which makes it so damn hot I have no energy to go steal the Rights to Zootopia! Screw your 100 degrees and 95% humidity! I got a swamp of my own brewing down there as soon as I move!
> 
> And now for a joke.
> 
> GUEST: I just want to take my grandson to Disney World. I don't want to go to Epcot or anything. Just Disney World.  
> CM: Well, Disney World is the name of the whole resort. I believe the park you're thinking of is the Magic Kingdom.  
> GUEST: No, I don't want to go to the Magic Kingdom. I just want to go to Disney World.  
> CM: You mean the park with the castle, right?  
> GUEST: Yeah, Disney World  
> CM: Yes, ma'am, that's the...yes, that's Disney World. We sell four-day hoppers, five-day hoppers...
> 
> Bahahahaha!

Several days had passed since Nick had found himself crossing the Precinct's threshold, once more clad in the blue uniform that represented the change he had made in his life. His fresh start after nearly twenty years of skirting the gray line of the law. It made him feel special, like he belonged to a brotherhood. A family.

_So why does it feel so suffocating?_

Pulling at the collar, Nick watched his reflection in the locker room mirror grimace. He had already loosened the tie to where it would fall off should he need to bend over. The top two buttons were undone showing the cream-colored fur that ran beneath his muzzle down his chest. Still he felt as if a noose was tightening around his neck.

_C'mon, Wilde. You can do this._

Yet there he stood, unable to tear himself away from the mirror. The milky white of his blinded eye seemed to stare back at him mockingly. Torn skin that had been pieced back together marred his appearance, the lines varying from wide burns to thin scarring. It almost felt as if his own body was taunting him. The longer he kept staring, the tenser he could feel his muscles becoming. A guttural growl slipped through his now bared teeth.

_Weak. Pathetic. That's all they see now._

For days he had been subjected to the pitying looks from his fellow officers. Even those he had thought himself close with seemed unable to stomach the appearance of the fox. He didn't expect to find much common ground with them after the incident, tragedy often changing someone in ways they could not comprehend before. But he had imagined it would not be quite so different. He was still one of them after all.

But with each day he became more unsure that the others agreed with that sentiment. He was avoided by most and those that he did interact with treated him as if he were made of glass. Clawhauser would brim with excitement each day Nick would arrive, but his customary celebratory hugs had vanished for the fox, afraid that his over-exuberance could end up hurting the smaller mammal.

_Hurt me. What more could 'hurt' me at this point? I'm already BROKEN!_

It had happened before he had even realized his arm had moved. His vision had filled with a blinding red fog, anger coursing through him that all too quickly became rage. And now his fist was pressed into what was left of the mirror, shattered glass still falling around his arm to land and occasionally bounce on the sink below.

Nick could only stare. It had been many years since he had lost control of his temper but it felt just as exhausting as the last time. Pulling back his fist, he examined it gingerly in case he had broken any fingers and combed through the fur looking for any loose shards of glass. His knuckles were now a bit tender but he seemed to have escaped any lasting damage much to his relief. Unfortunately, any hope of being able to claim ignorance of the situation vanished when another mammal cautiously strode up behind him.

"Wow Nick. What did the mirror do to you?" The fox sighed but was thankful it was one of the few mammals on the force who didn't judge him and kept his pitying looks, if he had any, to himself when Nick wasn't around. That was just the kind of friend Ralph Wolford was.

"Owed me money," was his only gruff reply. He didn't mind Ralph being there but he was too embarrassed by his own behavior to want to discuss it any further.

"Damn. Umm," the timber wolf dug into his pocket and rummaged around for a few seconds before pulling out a ten dollar bill and slapping it on the counter. "I'll pay off the urinal's debt cause I gotta take a leak."

That got a snort out of Nick, one of the first signs of humor anyone at the precinct had seen from him since his return and Wolford was pleased he had been able to do it. He gave his friend a quick wink in what was left of the mirror and headed to take care of his business just beyond the sinks.

Unwilling to just leave the mess as it was now that someone had seen it, Nick carefully began picking up the larger shards and tossing them into the waste can nearby. It took him a couple of minutes to get all of the ones his size out of the way and once the pieces became too small he stepped back. Safety regulations required that smaller mammals pick up the rest of the debris. He would need to file a notice for the small mammal cleaning crew to take care of the glass. The incident would get out unfortunately but he figured no one would bring it up to him. They'd add it to the list of reasons they pitied him and call it a day.

Feeling a bit of his anger returning he turned back to wash his paws in a different sink. The sad fact of the matter was that he understood their pity and that's what truly hurt. They couldn't see him as the mammal he was before. That honor lay only with the few close friends he had and his beautiful bunny.

The thought of Judy, her gray fur and striking eyes that would stare deep into his without fear or sadness, helped calm him and kept his anger from becoming rage once again. He put his head down and stared into the sink while he finished rinsing the soap from his paws. He didn't need the constant reminder of what he looked like staring him in the face all the time.

"You know," the lupine's voice came from behind him causing him to jump slightly in surprise, "if you're feeling up to it, we could use some help on the case." He knew it looked odd in the way his only ear perked up, but the sincerity in his friend's voice caused a surge of contentment through Nick right then. Spinning around and turning his gaze high he met the wolf's grin with one of his own.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'd like that."

* * *

"No."

Judy watched angrily as Nick's ear flattened back along his head. The two of them had been invited into the detective's office to 'pool their resources' as it were into finding some sort of avenue into solving the case. However while Wolford had been willing to listen, Delgato had been all too rigid.

"Oh c'mon, D. He's got a point." Ralph tried to back up his smaller canine co-worker not wanting to give the fox any reason to lose his temper, especially after witnessing the incident in

the locker room. "We've hit a dead-end more than once on this case going through regular channels."

"I said no! Bogo put me in charge of this investigation and we are  _not_  going to start shaking down civilians." The lion's mane swayed side-to-side with each shake of the mammal's head. Delgato had always taken great pride in his appearance but with the case causing him so much stress the locks had become tangled and matts had appeared in places.

"I'm not talking about hitting the street and dragging some guy out for a jog into an interrogation room," Nick's voice had a small growl of frustration in it but that was normal for some predators to exhibit and was not taken as an offense to either the wolf or lion. "I have some contacts from my old days. They have their paws in most everything. Let me go out and press em."

"We've tried all of our informants, Wilde." Delgato rubbed his massive paw against his temple at having to explain himself to the fox once again. "Nobody has any credible info."

"I'm not talking about informants, dammit! I'm talking the ones on the low. The ones on the high. Those mammals that have so much against them that talking to a badge is as good as being sent to jail, and the ones rich enough to never be bothered by the cops in the first place." Aggravated by his suggestions being tossed aside Nick began pacing about the room. "This is too big and too convoluted to escape notice by  _everyone_. I know if I put the squeeze on a few I can get the info we need."

Judy stood by her partner, her arms crossed while leveling a hard stare at the lion. She would never have been comfortable with following Nick's recommendation in the past but times had changed. Not only was the city in practical chaos with each livestream that took over the airways, but she had begun to lose faith in the ZPD. Something she never thought would happen.

Wolford also seemed rather supportive which was a shock to his partner but not to the bunny cop. Ralph and Nick had been close over his time at the precinct and after he had been found had been extremely protective of the smaller mammal, despite Nick being a couple years older than the lupine.

"No. I'm not going to jeopardize this case over some crackpot idea from a tv crime show. This isn't an action flick where you talk to just the right mammal and the whole thing opens up in time for the bad guy to get foiled. We do it my way. You want it any different then you go talk to Bogo and get him to sign off on it." Delgato leveled a glare at the tod. "And you snarl at me again, Wilde and I'll put you in a cell myself."

Nick looked abashed as he realized that his upper lip had curled, flashing his fangs for all to see. The unmistakeable growl in his throat ended immediately.  _Way to go, moron. That's how you get them to agree to your idea. Get all pissed and growl at a senior officer. Well done._

Upset with himself and the dismissal of his plan, Nick left the office and started down the hall back to his own cubicle that he shared with his partner. He felt an overwhelming urge to destroy something or shove over the mail cart he was passing or kick a waste basket in front of him for the next forty or so feet. It was a miracle how he kept his emotions in check all the way to his office.

Looking around at the gathered knick knacks he and Judy had acquired over the year, mementos from various cases they had worked together, he felt himself easing up on his anger and gaining back his emotional control. He had never been one with a short fuse. But ever since the incident he found himself switching emotions quite frequently and escalating them. Especially his anger. His office,  _their_  office, helped to bring him back to a time before the incident. One where he felt content and appreciated. Not anxious and pitied.

Absent-minded he reached up to run his claws along the fur of his head. It was a tic he had developed back in his hustling days to calm his mind. The scratch though never came. Instead it was only the rough ends of his digits where the skin had begun to scar over where his claws had been.  _I need to get those taken care of._

His head found the cool surface of his desk which felt all too soothing. For a moment he wished he could just close his eyes and let sleep take him over. The day had already taken it's toll on him and he knew it wasn't over. It was a blessing when he felt the dull claws scratching through his ruff. The weren't quite able to reach the skin beneath the fur in the way he used to do himself, but it was a touch that as patient and loving.

Rolling his head to the side in order to let his good eye roam over the figure next to him, he gave the bunny a small smile. "Sorry, Fluff. I didn't mean to cause scene in there. Just…really frustrated is all."

"Don't worry, sweetie. Both me and Wolford agree with your plan. I'm not sure what has Delgato being so possessive over this case but Wolford has said it's become an obsession with him. Like sleeping in his desk chair more than a few nights a week." She stroked his ear lovingly, keeping her eyes on his. "I just wish we could do something about it."

Nick let out a heavy sigh, resolving himself to the task he knew he would need to undertake. "I'm going to see him, Judy."

The use of her real name caught her attention and knew how serious he was. "Are you…sure? I can't talk you out of it?"

"I have to get his okay on this. Even though I don't think I can stomach being in the same room as him, he  _is_  still the Chief." Nick stood but he didn't make it very far since his bunny had wrapped her arms around his midsection.

"Okay. I'll go along with it but only because it's what you want to do. Just remind him that I can burn his ass with IA if he gives you any trouble." Nick arched a brow while flashing her a teasing smirk.

"I thought my ass was the only one you were after, Carrots." He chuckled with the pink tinge running up the insides of her ears and over her cheeks.

A few minutes later the fox found himself in front of a door he had avoided like the plague since his first day back to the precinct. Behind the glass was one of the few mammals he had ever trusted in his life, and when it came time to trust him  _with_  his life, it reminded him why he trusted almost no one. And the reason it was a scarred paw that rapped on the door instead of a whole one.

A deep and gruff voice answered with a simple "Enter," which Nick did, a bit of hesitation in his movements. The sight was a familiar one, the large and imposing cape buffalo bent over his desk reading and signing off on reports. The glasses perched on his nose seemed comically small but did nothing to take any from his menacing appearance. Nick closed the door and moved to sit in the usual seat. He waited until the buffalo seemed finished and cleared his throat to get the large mammal's attention.

"What do you-," Bogo's irritation and scolding tone cut off as soon as his gaze hit the tod. "Wilde. What can I do for you?" This time the words were said with a hint of trepidation since he was still ashamed of how he had acted and fearful of what the fox's partner could do to him.

"I want permission to go out and shakedown some of the slum criminals I know for information on the cult group. Delgato won't support it but I think we've run out of options at this point."

The request was not unfamiliar as pressing information from informants was done often, but a shakedown of mammals outside of that informant chain bordered on illegal and was frowned upon by Internal Affairs and the City Council.

"I'm sorry, Wilde but I can't sign off on that. It could possibly taint the case whenever it went to trial and we cannot afford that."

Nick scoffed. "Chief, you have to reconsider. I  _need_  to do this. It's the only way we are ever going to get to these guys."

"It sounds more like a personal vendetta, Wilde." Nick felt the corners of his lip twitch in anger but forced himself to stay calm. The chief had no idea how close the fox was to snarling.  _Personal vendetta? How would you like it if they had ripped off your horns, you fucking coward._ "We need to do this by the book. We can't let our personal feelings dictate how we act on this case. We have to follow proper pro-" Bogo cut off at the hardened glare he was receiving from the vulpine, the fox's anger rippling through the room like a wave.

"Proper  _procedure?_  Is that what you were going to say? In case you've forgotten, you already failed to do that and this maimed and disgusting thing sitting in front of you is the result!" Nick didn't remember jumping to his feet but that's how he found himself when his throat let out a vicious snarl. "You coward! You left me to fucking die and hid all of that to save face, and you won't even entertain my idea to find these psychopaths because it doesn't follow  _procedure?!"_

Reaching a paw up to his chest, he tore the badge from his uniform leaving a small hole through which a piece of blackened flesh could be seen, the mirror image of what he now held in his paw. With an enraged look on his muzzle and a fire in his one working eye, Nick hurled the gold badge at the buffalo's head. Though it bounced off his nose, the buffalo barely felt it at all. The sight however made his heart clench.

"Wilde?" Seeing the tod jump down off the chair and head for the door, he wanted to reach out and stop him but with a rude gesture the fox vanished from the room and slammed the door behind him.

The shouts from the Chief's office had not gone unnoticed though the words were unintelligible and Nick moved between many of the other employees in the precinct on his way to the lobby. They all were like ghosts to him. Statues to be weaved around instead of the family he once thought of them as. All but a few.

Passing by the front desk, Nick stopped to see the pudgy dispatcher looking down at him in tears, his eyes focused on the missing badge and hole in his shirt. "Did the Chief…he didn't  _fire_  you, did he?"

Nick sighed heavily knowing his next words were final and resolute. "No, Spots. I quit." Clawhauser gasped predictably while tears tracked down his fur. A whine behind him told Nick that Wolford had made it out to the lobby as well. But the hardest noise to hear came next.

"NO!" Hasty footfalls echoed throughout the atrium as the gray doe of Precinct One tore across the lobby before launching herself at him and wrapping her arms tightly around his chest. "Don't you dare!"

One of the few expressions he had left in him besides anger and sadness came out of him when he sheepishly looked toward the still crying cheetah and morose looking wolf nearby. Wrapping his arms around the bunny he carried her towards the front doors and walked out of them.

Only when they were outside again did he let her go and force her off of him. She was crying and refused to look at him, preferring to clutch at his pant leg. "Carrots. Fluff? Judy!" Her tears still flowing but her cries slowing to sniffles, she looked up at him somberly.

"You can't quit. We're a team. We need to make the world a better place, remember?" Nick's expression softened and he let his paw drift softly down her cheek wiping away the tear marks.

"We're still a team, Judy. But I can't do what needs to be done while having my paws tied like this. And especially not by  _him._ "

Judy sniffled again. "Then I'll come with you."

"No!" Judy reeled back slightly at the way Nick's voice rose suddenly. "Where I'm going, what I'm doing…I can't have you put in that situation. You are a pure light in this world, Judith Hopps. And I, and the world, cannot bear to lose you." He stepped back putting a few feet between them. Judy looked as if she was ready to protest but kept her feet firm.

"I can't lose you either, Nick. I just got you back." All sorts of images, both memories and horrid imaginations flashed through her mind. Ones where Nick would come back in a box or worse, never come back at all.

"I'm not planning on going anywhere, Fluff. I finally got the love of my life. I'm not going to waste that." He took a few more steps backwards, nearly at the stairs leading away from the building. "You keep being a cop, Carrots. It's what you were meant to do."

"I was meant to be with you, you dumb fox." She wanted so much to run to him and never let him go, but somewhere deep inside of her she knew he had to do this, both for himself and for the city. "When this is over…please come back to me."

"I have no intention of doing anything else, Carrots." He turned to place his foot on the first step day from what was his second home before casting a glance over his shoulder. "Hey partner. Do one thing for me?"

"Anything," her voice barely above a whisper.

"Don't let them stop me."


	29. Laws don't matter to the lawless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I know! Sooner than expected! I couldn't believe it either. But the drive was there so why not, right? Time to see what Nick has been up to.
> 
> Disclaimer: There are only four rules you need to remember when writing: make the plot, execute the plot, expect the plot to go off the rails, throw away the plot.

_"The streets were cold. Harsh. Like the mammals that lived there. Sure there are exceptions. There always are. Those who fight back against the common rule. Those who would see a better tomorrow for everyone to wake to. And it is for those mammals that I fight. That I am willing to die for. And so I begin my trek down this lonely and dark path. For myself. And for them."_

The melodramatic speech, more said as if by a narrator detailing his own life, was said to no one in particular, though it was heard by everyone that passed by the haggard looking mammal trudging along the sidewalk. Head down and his face obscured by the hat above him, he went unrecognized. The strange looks he received were because of his oddity at the moment and not for his appearance as it so often was. Nick was grateful for that at least.

A week had disappeared between leaving the precinct for the last time and that day. In that time many things had changed for the tod, though there was still more for him to do before he was ready. His first step lay ahead of him, and for the first time since setting out on the path he had chosen that he felt apprehensive.

There, partially hidden in the shadows of an alley between two dilapidated buildings, sat a large van. With a fading and chipped mural on the side and rust starting to show through on the bumper, it looked to be more of an abandoned vehicle than a place he had occasionally called home through the years. It was a place of comfort that he rapped his knuckles on and waited for the predictable answer.

"Who is it?!" A slight stomping sound could be heard alongside muttered curses and the tinny sound of a metal bat being lifted from the floor. Nick had time to bring a sad smile to his face before the van's back door swung open wide.

The small mammal's first instinct was to swing his makeshift weapon into the side of his 'visitor's' head for daring to intrude on his personal space, however one look at the taller Tod's face had him lowering the bat in shock. "Nick?"

"Hey little Toot-Toot. No hello kiss for daddy?" The stunned look and concern immediately melted away from the fennec's muzzle in favor of a hard stare and grinding teeth.

"Just cause you went through all that shit, don't think I won't kick your ass, Wilde." Looking him up and down, his scowl dropped away. Nick was thankful it was not replaced by pity as he did not think he could handle seeing it from his oldest friend. After a few tense moments, Finnick tossed the bat back into the van and waved him inside. Nick complied though with a slight hesitation at climbing into an enclosed space. Judy had been helping him over the weeks at moving on from his claustrophobia but it would never completely go away he discovered.

"What are you doing here, Nick?" Settling himself onto one of the bean bag chairs, Finnick gestured for his friend to take the other larger one. "Not that I mind seeing you even if it has been  _months_ ," he growled. "But why are you here now? And what's with the getup? Seriously that is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever see you wear and we once dressed in drag for a hustle." Grabbing a couple of beers from his portable fridge he tossed a bottle to his friend before sitting back and downing a third of it.

Nick chuckled lightly at that, drudging up the horrible memory of that day. Looking down at himself he didn't see the problem with his outfit. "What's wrong with it? I think I look kind of dashing." Tipping back his own beer he took a small mouthful and savored the taste. Finnick may have horrible taste in living arrangements but his choice of alcohol was always top-notch.

"You're wearing a duster trench coat like you're frigging Dick Tracy. And take off that stupid fedora." Before Nick could stop him, the smaller fox had leapt up and snatched the hat off his head. It was then that his friend froze in place.

The hat had been the final piece in Nick's ensemble he had put together. A fitting addition considering his new path of finding the mammals responsible for his pain and all of Zootopia's suffering as well. He was a lone detective now, going where others refused. It had an added benefit though and was one of the main reasons he had chosen it. A larger version than most foxes would wear, it fit over the ears instead of letting them stick through the sides to allow better hearing. Now though his friend was seeing the damage the hat concealed.

Finnick collapsed back heavily onto his chair. "Holy Maid Marian," he breathed. "I had heard-…I didn't really believe it though." His eyes traced over the torn edges of the missing ear, the scarred flesh where fur used to be. The milky white of his blinded eye had been hidden in shadow but was now revealed to the light forcing Finnick to fixate on Nick's remaining eye so as not to feel his stomach churn.

"What? You mean you didn't watch your old friend being tortured on live television?" Nick snarled before yanking back his hat and forcing it down onto his head, tucking in his ear and hiding his mutilations back in shadow.

"No. No, I couldn't bring myself to see it happen," pointedly keeping his gaze down, he couldn't help but lower his voice to a murmur, though in the confines of the van it was more than enough to be heard. "I wanted to. To kind of provide solidarity, I guess? It sounds stupid-"

"No. No it doesn't. Carrots did the same thing." It was a bittersweet thought that his bunny had been willing to persevere through it, to give it some sort of meaning, but he wished she never had watched it.

Finnick harrumphed. "She would, wouldn't she? Yeah well, she's a better mammal than me. Stronger too. The moment they picked up the first knife…" he shuddered heavily. "Let's just say that all the king's horse guards couldn't put my phone back together after I smashed that thing."

Nick's look of anger faded into one of understanding. "Well, it wasn't a picnic I can tell you that. They were… _are…_ monsters." He rubbed his paws together subconsciously, something that wasn't missed by the other fox. He tracked his eyes downwards to the very tip of Nick's digits. It was something else he had heard but really did not want to believe it.

"Did they-", unable to fully voice the thought he motioned down towards Nick's paws. The idea of having claws ripped out one by one was something no mammal could stomach without shuddering. It was an amputation, one that could easily sink someone into a deep depression. Nick lifted his paws and wiggled his digits. Finnick could see the polished metal tips poking out from the flesh.

"Got 'em put in a few days ago. Elective surgery so insurance didn't cover it but the doc waved the cost." It was one of the few good things to happen to him in the last week although it was a constant reminder of what he had lost. Flexing his paw he allowed the artificial claws to press outward. "Steel alloy." Reaching out he placed them on the interior wall of the van and dragged them slowly causing the metal to peel away with it.

"Hey!" Finnick jumped up and rushed over to snatch the fox's paw and drag it off his precious van. Nick had already withdrawn it by the time the fennec got there.

"Relax, Fin. It was only the paint. Buffer it and put on a matching color and it will be fine." Finnick examined the area very closely, running his own paw over it several times before shuffling back to his chair with a short growl.

"Don't touch my van again, Wilde. Or I'll bite y-"

"My face off, yeah I know." Nick chuckled a bit, the first real bit of humor to escape him all day. "I gotta warn you though, you mess up what's left of my handsome appearance and you'll have to answer to my bunny." The stunted desert mammal raised a brow at that.

"Finally nailed the cottontail, huh?" He smirked at the irritated expression that crossed Nick's muzzle. "I know it didn't happen before this whole thing cause you were moaning about how she would 'never feel the same way' just a week before. So she fell for ya even with your ugly ass?"

Nick knew better than to take the jab seriously and so answered in kind. "I can make that mural of yours look even worse if you want to keep it up. Doc put 'em in to look normal but I had them sharpened." He flexed his paw while staring down at them darkly. "They wanted to make me look like a monster. They're going to regret that."

Stunned and slightly disturbed at how the conversation had suddenly turned so dark, Finnick shuffled his feet and coughed lightly. When that didn't break the spell, he fidgeted anxiously before raising his beer to his lips and taking a swig. When Nick had finally lifted his head, he scratched the back of it sheepishly.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to get all moody." When he shifted to get a bit more comfortable the left side of his trench coat fell open exposing a holster. Leaning in a bit closer, Finnick recognized the side-piece his friend was now carrying.

"Ruger Redfox." The diminutive mammal cocked his head to the side admiring what he could see of the revolver. "That's not exactly standard issue for a cop, Nick."

Picking his head up, Nick caught his friend eyeing the holster he had unknowingly exposed. Reaching in, the tod wrapped his paw around the grip and drew it. Moving his paw to the barrel he extended the grip towards the fennec. He was amused when the sand colored fox took it in both paws and immediately let it fall to his lap shocked by the weight of it. Nick chuckled before reaching over and plucking it from the two paws still comically trying to lift it up.

".44 magnum. Muzzle break for better recoil, matte grip, laser sight set in the handle just in case this blasted dead eye has ruined my 'dead-eye' talent." Twirling it like a wild west sheriff he slipped it back in the holster. "And no, it ain't standard. But I'm not a cop anymore so I don't really give a shit." He waited for a response but the one he got wasn't the one he expected.

Instead of hearing 'you never should have been one in the first place' or something equally as sarcastic, all he got was silence for several seconds while the fennec looked him over pensively.

"Yeah. Yeah, I heard you had ditched the badge. Damn shame, too." Nick's head whipped around in astonishment at the sincerity in the other fox's voice. "Don't look at me like that, Wilde. You've done more for the image of foxes in this city than anyone else in the past hundred years." Draining the rest of his beer in one large gulp he tossed the empty bottle into a plastic bag to join a dozen or so other empties before grabbing another from the fridge.

The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes, Finnick feeling a bit awkward about letting his emotions get the better of him, Nick at having experienced that. It was a rare thing and Nick cherished it. All too soon though the conversation continued into darker territory.

"You're going rogue, aren't you." It was not so much a question as it was a statement. The clothes, while ridiculous, did help conceal his injuries which attracted far too much attention. There were far more suitable guns for defense available in the city, but the one he chose was meant for intimidation and stopping power against larger mammals.

"Am I going to do whatever it takes to put these mammals where they belong? Yes. Yes, I am." The look he gave Finnick chilled him to his very core. Despite his stature, the fennec was proud to say he feared very little, save for Mr. Big's ice bath and his polar bear mafia family. But the eyes of the fox before him made a shiver crawl up his spine. The words were fairly common for Nick to say, yet the tone and the seriousness in his one good eye told him all he needed. 'Belong' depended on one thing. The mammals Nick felt deserved to be spared would go to jail. Those who did not would end up in a pine box. This was not the mammal Finnick knew from all their years growing up together. And it frightened him.

"I need info, Fin. I know that you know where to point me." These words were also filled with seriousness and sincerity, but Finnick knew the request he was making was a plea for help from an old friend, one that only he could provide.

"Nick. I love ya like a brother. But you know I don't deal in information like that. I woulda already told you everything the first time they showed their gruesome heads." The downtrodden look on his friend's muzzle was heartbreaking and he decided to give him what little he knew on the off chance it would help. "Look. I can't guarantee ya anything, but I may have  _something_  for you to go on." Nick's expression changed in an instant from disheartened to a joyful kit at Christmas. If that kit was looking forward to interrogating criminals and delivering vigilante justice to the scum that deserved it. "I heard that Duke was spoutin' off a story about these guys. Somethin' about a place near the water and seeing long bags being tossed into a van every now and again. I'd hit him up. Don't know where," he clarified while kicking up his feet and finishing off his second bottle of the afternoon. "That part's on you. But you got the 'detective' getup already, so whatever. Now get outta my van."

Nick threw back his own beer and polished it off before raising it in a toast to his friend. "You're the best, Fin. And don't worry. I ain't-a cop anymore but our deal will always be the same. Mum's the word, no names, no dates."

"It better be. Our I'll-"

"Bite my face off, yeah yeah." Nick chuckled at the middle finger thrown his way before exiting the van and making his way back towards the street.

Finnick watched him go, his expression stoic but a slight tremble made itself known in his voice. "Good luck, Wilde."

* * *

"Carrots?"

" _Nick! Oh, thank god. I haven't heard from you in two days. I was starting to worry myself sick. Don't you do that to me again! I almost had McHorn start calling hospitals to see if you'd been brought in because I KNOW that's the only reason you wouldn't call me EVERY SINGLE DAY!"_

The slightly tinny sound coming through the phone did nothing to keep Nick from imagining her being right next to him. Every time he spoke to her it was a battle not to abandon everything and race to her side. Though her tone and volume did make him cringe a little.

"I know. And I'm sorry, Carrots. I was taking care of some things and I wasn't in a place where I could really make a phone call." That part was partly true as he was still recovering from the surgery done to his paws. The day before had been particularly awful and he spent most of the day asleep from the pain relievers.

 _"Well, I'm just glad I finally get to talk to you. When-…"_ Her voice choked up a bit before she cleared her throat and continued with a much steadier tone.  _"When are you coming back home?"_

Turning and facing one of the brick building he was passing, the tod leaned forward and pressed his forehead to it. He reached up to hold his hat in place, to make sure it didn't fall back and reveal his ear. "Judy. We talked about this. Many times. I'm doing this because it  _needs_  to be done and I'm not going to risk your safety. Once this is over…" He let that hang in the air, letting her contemplate the seriousness of it all.

Judy sighed, the breathiness coming through the phone clearly.  _"I know. And I also know that me telling you I don't care and would brave all of this with you would be wasted since you haven't listened the last half dozen times I've said it."_ Nick smiled in spite of himself. More than anything did he want to be with her, but it was a fool's dream. At least until the whole ordeal was over.  _"But I'm sure that calling me to let me know you were safe and to hear my dulcet tones were only part of the reason you called."_

"Nailed it in one, Carrots. Though hearing your voice  _was_  the main reason." He could almost hear the smile creep onto her lips at that. "I need some help."

_"Surprise, surprise. What is it this time?"_

"I may have found a lead." The loud squeak of an office chair straightening told him that he had her undivided attention.

 _"You have something?! Oh, this is fantastic news!"_ Even with her fox out playing rogue and her relationship with her boss almost non-existent, Judy was still a cop. She had been dying to see the mammals responsible for all of the terror and pain they had caused be brought to justice.

"I said  _may_  have. Here's where the help comes in, though." He could hear Judy rusting around her desktop searching for something and when the sound of crumpling paper hit his ears, he finally knew what.  _Always with the notes,_ he thought fondly.

_"Go ahead, Nick."_

"Fin pointed me in Duke's direction. The little weasel may have seen something and I intend to find out what it is. But I need to do this alone. If he sees the cops coming, he'll go underground and I can't afford to lose this chance. Think you can keep them off my trail to Weaselton?"

_"Weaselton? Weaselton who?"_

Nick smiled with pride. "That's my girl. I love you, Fluff."

_"I love you too, Nick. And you better be careful. I need my fox to come back to me."_


	30. A familiar name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Man. Finding time to write when dealing with advanced classes at college is ridiculous. Not to mention having so many other stories going on at once. Why do I do this to myself?
> 
> Disclaimer: The following chapter includes running. If you have asthma please read at your own discretion.
> 
> And to lighten the mood, how about a joke?  
> Why can Miss Piggy never count to one hundred? Cause at 69 she gets a frog in her throat. Ba-dum-tss.

Finding someone with as much notoriety as Duke Weaselton should have been a walk in the park. Literally. The weasel often frequented the City Park around lunchtime in order to exploit some of the business mammals there for their lunch break. With how little time they had allotted to actually eat, those mammals would be more focused on their food than a potential pickpocket. It was hard to imagine a day where the sneaky weasel would not take advantage of that time but for some reason he did not appear.

Slumped against the trunk of a large oak, a figure waited in the shade with quickly fading patience. A lone green eye surveyed the crowd, watching closely for any sign of his prey. With his hat pulled down, Nick was only attracting the attention of a few curious mammals who found the trench coat and fedora quaint rather than the notoriety still hanging about him. Even those who weren't aware of who he was found his appearance frightening.

It was frustrating for him to finally have some sort of a lead and then the very next day that lead failed to come to anything.  _He must have been tipped off. That's the only reason he would change his routine._ A momentary flash of Finnick went through his mind but he quickly shook it off. He knew his friend would never betray his trust like that.

Balling up the leftover wrapper of his meager fish sandwich, Nick started to head down the park hill towards the road. He was done waiting around even in the shade. He had hedged his bets for the day on the park and didn't have any idea where Duke would be otherwise. His corner 'store' had been long abandoned. He figured, or more liked hoped at this point, that he would show up the next day.

Nearly halfway down the fox happened to see a pair of jaguar cubs running in front of him. They looked adorable passing a soccer ball back and forth and Nick's eye followed them. It did wonders for his soul to see that even during the hell the city may be experiencing that children were still able to be children.

Chuckling at how one of the cub's kick sailed the ball over his friend's head, Nick watched the flight of it. He almost called out a warning as the white and black ball nearly hit a smaller mammal, but his words caught in his throat.

The mammal that had been the unfortunate target had leaped clear though not without a few swears leaking out. The voice caught Nick's attention and he peered at the mammal closely. The tattered over-shirt fluttered to the side revealing a white tank top that was in desperate need of a wash and tumble cycle and it was hanging on the shoulders of the very mammal he had been waiting for.

Duke had been heading to his normal lunchtime prowl, though a bit later and from the opposite direction he normally came from. Nick had very nearly missed his arrival and if the two kids had been running through a minute or two earlier he definitely would have. Instead he kept his eye trained on his quarry.

The weasel must have sensed something though, the instincts he had built up with his time living on the streets serving him well. His fur stood on end at the feel of a hardened gaze on him. He had never been too sly however and instead of discretely looking, Duke jerked his head up fast. Meeting the  _extremely_ familiar piercing green eye with his own, he froze for a moment. Several thoughts went through his head but they all ended in the same way. Run. Not one to argue with his own head, Duke took off as if his very life depended on it.

Nick groaned at the idea of having to run after him but it wasn't as if this was a new thing to him. Weaselton had spent many days running from him and Judy without success. He was quick but while he knew the city as well as Nick did, he wasn't too bright and tended to panic and make mistakes.

It took a moment for the fox to get into his stride after standing against a tree for more than an hour, but soon he was making up lost ground forcing his target to try and lose him. Nick deftly jumped clear of the over-shirt Duke had tried to throw at him. "You keep running, Wesselton! It's going to be so much more gratifying when you can't even drag yourself along the ground."

Opening his mouth to correct the tod, Duke let out a shrill cry as he looked back and saw the fox nearly close enough to grab his tail if he jumped. Not wanting to give him the chance, Duke took a sharp left down a narrow alley, hoping his smaller size would give him a better shot at losing his pursuer.

Unfortunately, while he was familiar with the alley, he was  _not_  familiar with the new fence the owners had put up. As he hadn't been paying attention to what was in front of him, Duke had ended up being thrown backward after hitting the chain-links. For a brief moment the idea of climbing the fence crossed his mind, but with the wind knocked out of him and the fox shaped shadow standing over him, the weasel decided to call it a day. Struggling to his feet, he stepped over to the wall to keep himself standing.

"I didn' do nothin', Wilde." The weasel was panting from the run but projected an air of complete indifference as he leaned against the brick wall of the alleyway. "I ain' got nothin' on me and you can't pin nothin' on me. Sorry but the back of your cruiser gonna be short one Weaselton toda-"

Duke's eyes widened in fear as Nick grasped him by the front of his shirt with one paw and lifted him off the ground. His other paw was raised into the narrow beam of sunlight shining into the alleyway causing his sharp metal claws to gleam which had the weasel blanching and struggling to get free.

"News flash, Duke. I'm not a cop anymore. No badge. No tranq pistol. The only thing I have right now is a a desire for vengeance. For retribution. To put down the  _beasts_  that have terrorized this city and tried to destroy  _me!_ And you,  _Wesselton,"_ Nick took a small amount of pleasure from the way Duke's eyes narrowed at the butchering of his name though fear kept his jaw shut, "are going to help me find them."

Duke eyed the vulpine, involuntarily shuddering at the dead eye that seemed to bore into his psyche. The burns lining the fox's face and scarred flesh on his arms were things the weasel had seen on many mammals on the streets, but the facial scars and the blank white of that eye put a lot of fear into him. But while he knew Nick was serious, he could tell there was a bit of the old fox still left in there.

"How long did you work on that speech there, Wilde?" he asked in a much friendlier tone hoping to remind the former cop who used to chase him and the former con who used to work the streets like he did that he wasn't a violent mammal and was never one to risk his own hide. If he wanted information, Duke was more than willing to give it.

"About an hour. Was it good? I felt like I rushed it." Nick slowly set the weasel down, though making sure he was still in arm's length in case he tried to run for it.

"No, no. It was good. A little melodramatic. Woulda gone over better if it was rainin' or somethin'." Pulling a new toothpick from his pocket, the mustela popped it in his mouth and started gnawing on it.

Nick picked at his claws making sure to keep the weasel's attention on the sharpened metal. Duke seemed to be in a calmer mindset but Nick wanted to make sure it was well understood that not answering or trying to get away would not be in his best interest.

"Word on the street is that you have some information on where I can find one of these cult fleabags."

"Oh yeah? And whose word is that?" Nick noticed how Duke seemed to avoid looking him in the eye directly. Possibly to try and pretend he didn't know anything, but it was more likely due to his appearance, Nick thought to himself. In any case there was no missing the arched brow and heavy glare coming from the fox. "Alrigh' fine. So maybe I heard a few rumors. I can point ya in the general direction. But what's in it for me?"

Nick grit his teeth in irritation. The weasel's greedy attitude was something that always landed him in hot water and with the mammal facing him right now that was almost assured.

"How about I don't have you brought in for interfering with a police investigation?"

"Ha! You ain' got a badge anymore, Wilde. You just said so." Duke looked sickeningly smug. "You can't arrest me."

"Maybe I don't. But Carrots still does. You remember my old partner, Officer Hopps." Images of a giant donut being slammed on top of him flashed through the mustela's mind. Feet dangling over an icy water pit made him shiver uncontrollably.

"Okay. Okay. I get it. I tell you and the bunny stays the hell away from me. Deal?"

"Deal." Reaching out, Nick grabbed the weasel's paw hanging by his side and forcing him to shake. "Now, time to deliver. What do you know? And I want  _everything_."

* * *

 

Waiting around was not something Judy was very good at. The idea of her fox being out on the street alone and her powerless to help him until he called was slowly driving her mad. So instead she forced herself to run through every last detail of the cult case, hoping to find something,  _anything_  they could have missed. So far though, after two days of in-depth scrutiny, she had to admit to herself that Delgato and Wolford really had covered every base they could.

Slumping down in her seat and letting her head fall onto the top of her desk, Judy let out a long sigh. She had a feeling that she would be unsuccessful in her hunt for information but she did not want everything to be placed on Nick's shoulders. Unfortunately that's what seemed to be the reality. His knowledge of the streets and his many contacts throughout the city made him potentially the only one who  _could_  find these monsters.

As if her thoughts had called out to him, her phone shook against the table and let out a tiny chime of a notification. Hastily she snatched up her phone and looked at the newest text message.

_'Found one. Duke spilled on one Edgar Ramses. He's got a list of aliases longer than my arm but Duke says he's good ol' Doug's brother. He's got a safe house in the Rain Forest district. Paying him a visit now.'_

Judy, her eyes widened slightly in shock, stared at the name closely. Doug Ramses, the mastermind behind the Nighthowler serum. It made sense to her that any sort of sibling or family member would have to be as insane as that ram was, she just never expected they would have to deal with one.

_'Need some back-up, Slick? I can be at the district line in ten minutes.'_

His reply came sooner than expected and based on the wording she guessed he had already written it out based on what he guessed she would say.

_'I'm fine. Honestly I'd feel better knowing you were watching my back from the precinct. I need some alone time with Ed first. I'll text you when I'm done and you can send Delgato and Wolfie to clean up.'_

Judy didn't like the way 'clean up' sounded to her, but she knew he hadn't purchased the gun for protection. Nick was on the hunt and Judy could not blame him nor did she want to.

_'What will happen to him?'_

The next message took a bit longer to come in telling her Nick had given a bit more thought to his answer. What it was made the doe shiver slightly.

_'I'll judge him the way they judged me.'_


	31. Mercy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: When drive hits you gotta ride the wave! That makes 0 sense but I'm going with it anyways. Anyone feel bad for Ed? The reviews didn't seem to share that feeling. Let's see what happens.
> 
> Disclaimer: So a CEO, CFO, and a board of directors walk into a bar. It's a trap and now I'm holding them ransom for the rights to everything Zootopia. And I mean everything. That's right. ALL the keychains.
> 
> What did Cinderella say to Prince Charming on their wedding night?  
> "Wanna see if it fits?"

Trudging up a narrow dirt path and heading for a dense grove of trees was a large, hornless ram. A sack strung over his shoulder showing a few bulges of what appeared to be cans pushing against the fabric. Rain continued to pour down onto him but went ignored until a leaf above him bent and showered him in a small flood. Grimacing, the sheep put his head down and moved a bit faster up the path until a house appeared around the next curve. The ramshackle look was deceiving as was the area around it. Untrimmed branches hid surveillance cameras while boarded up windows were props placed over concrete walls.

Making his way around the side of the house, Edgar Ramses peered into the camouflaged storage shed partially hidden by carefully planted trees and shrubberies. Inside sat a very large generator that was capable of powering the entire safe house. He had to give his younger brother credit. It may have seemed a bit paranoid to him at first, but now that he needed to live off the grid, he admired Doug's preparedness and could appreciate the genius of it. He took a moment to check the fuel levels, noting that the propane had slipped to about half the tank. It would be more than enough to sustain the house for the next few days but he made a mental note to pick up a new container tomorrow. He would need to be careful making two trips in the past two days but it was better to have the supplies in case of an emergency.

Pulling the brambles back into place and hiding the entrance once more, Edgar left the small structure and headed towards the house's back door. In truth it was the only door. The front one was merely a decoy. It was impossible to open and if it was ever breached the only thing on the other side was a metal wall. The back door though was even more confusing. Set into the wall, the only way to gain access was to use a key to on a hidden panel on the window sill. Once that was unlocked, the black-paned window would slide up less than a foot allowing an arm to pass inside and release the catch holding the door in place.

After glancing around and being satisfied no one was around to spy him entering, Edgar headed inside before pulling the door shut and re-engaging the lock. Taking a moment to drop his bag of food and supplies on the counter, Edgar checked the burner phone he always left in the house. It was more than unwise to have it on his body. Forget arrested, it could get him killed. Thankfully the phone devoid of new messages so his night was mostly free, a blessing these days. He believed in the work he was doing but it did tend to wear on his body.

Moving into the darkened living room he flicked the light switch for him to continue reading his book. The light failed to turn on making the ram groan in irritation.  _If it's not one thing it's another_ , his bitter thoughts pointed out. Taking a few steps into the room, Edgar reached into a nearby lamp to see if the bulb needed to be replaced or was simply loose. When his hoof grasped at nothing but an empty socket his brow furrowed in confusion. "What th-"

A sharp 'CLACK' echoed through the room but Edgar had only a moment to register the sound before his body locked up and keeled over to the side. His nerves felt as if they were on fire while lightning struck his brain. He lost control of his limbs watching them twitch with each jolt he could feel pulsing through his body.

"You know," a voice rang out in front of him towards a darkened corner of the room, "I've always thought this would be a cool thing to do. Be the mammal in the dark who makes an ominous statement before turning on the light, possibly showing a gun." Edgar watched as a light did indeed flicker on to reveal a fox in an armchair holding a revolver in his paw. The fedora dragged over part of his face would have caught the sheep's eye but all he could see right then was the barrel of a gun pointing straight at his head.

"But then I found the taser in your bedside drawer, nice collection of magazines by the way, and I just couldn't resist giving it a bit more flair." Keying the trigger again, the fox watched as Edgar's body was wracked with jolts of electricity causing him to grit his teeth, unable to express his pain.

"Oooh. That looks like it hurts. Well actually I know it hurts. Had to go through it myself once or twice. But then again, it's nothing like you and your friends put me through." Elongated pupils widened in recognition as the hat was pulled away to reveal one green eye leveled at him with pure hate while the other white and dead eye seemed to bore into his very soul.

Edgar was able to get his jaw moving but his mouth and tongue were still unable to form words. The fox seemed to understand and put a paw to his forehead shaking it. "Oh where are my manners. You want to speak and I'm just sitting here taking up all the oxygen. Let me help you with that." A black paw reached down onto the taser and twisted a dial. This time when the trigger was pulled, the pain was much more intense but faded quickly as the room flashed bright white before turning black.

* * *

Nick scrolled through his Furbook feed wasting time while waiting for his guest to join him. Currently his new friend was unconscious and tied to one of the kitchen chairs he had dragged over and was a boring conversationalist. He spent some time clearing his 'Get well soon' messages from his inbox since most of them were insincere comments from mammals who had either seen the video or knew of him from his semi-celebrity status.

Hearing a grunt from the front of him, Nick casually continued typing a response to one of Judy's siblings, one of the few he had gotten to know well during his time in Bunnyburrow who genuinely cared for his well-being.

Another set of groans had him rolling his eyes and putting his phone away, moving his focus towards the ram who was now groggily shaking his head. Nick was almost amused by the panic the sheep showed at finding himself tied up. Once he found his bearings, he sent the fox a glare that if looks could kill would have filleted him six ways from Sunday.

"Eddie, Eddie, Eddie." Nick shook his head as if disappointed in the ram. "Where did things go so wrong? What happened, mam? You had a lot going for you. Hung out with a beautiful girl everyday, great friends, rugged good looks…oh wait. Nevermind that was all me."

A sneer was what he got in response. Edgar found his voice at last and spat at the fox. "We fixed that didn't we, you pelt!"

A hard slam of metal meeting kneecap had the ram howling in pain. Nick casually brushed an invisible thread off the side of his revolver while waiting for the ram to quiet down. When it seemed as if that was going to happen, Nick hit the other kneecap. This caused a whole new amount of yelling, this time random curses being thrown into the mix.

"Now, now, Eddie. Language. What would little brother Dougy think if he saw you being so crass." The mention of his brother caused the ram's pain to be replaced solely by rage.

"You bastard! You and that stupid bunny! Forced him int- OW!" Nick lost his cool at hearing Judy be insulted and smacked the ram across the face with the end of the pistol barrel. The sheep may have an incredibly dense skull but surface flesh still hurt the same.

"Let's keep this between us, shall we? Now," reclining back into his own chair, Nick fixed his eye on the sheep's daring him to look away. Edgar did allow his gaze to flicker but only towards the gun before meeting the fox's once more. "Let's get down to the point. I'm kind of on a mission and you are holding one of the key pieces I need to move forward."

"And what makes you think I would help you?" Edgar sneered. Nick's lone ear flicked irritably before standing and moving forward a few steps. The scars on his face mixed with the indifferent expression was almost haunting to the sheep and he flinched noticeably when Nick raised the revolver. Gritting his teeth, he snapped his eyes shut unwilling to watch the trigger be pulled.

The gunshot was loud. Deafeningly so, making Edgar's ears ring in pain. Yet that was the only pain he felt. Cracking an eye, both snapped open at the sight of Nick having shot to the left of him, his armchair taking the brunt of the bullet. "Hmph. Don't have the stomach for this, fo-," a scream split the air as Nick laid the burning metal along his nose.

Nick's expression did not change. There was no gloat or sneer or satisfaction on his muzzle, a simple look of disinterest as if he did not even realize he was torturing someone. It wasn't until he removed the pistol and watched the ram pant, his throat sore from the amount of screaming he had done, that Nick retreated and sat back down across from his captive.

"I have five more rounds that we can do this with and then I'll have to reload."

"You can't do this! You're a cop!" The splitting crack of the revolver's butt on the chair's wooden arm startled the sheep.

"Not. Any. More. In fact," Nick pulled aside his coat and dragged his shirt down enough to show the brand in his chest of what used to be his badge, "if anything you and your group of psychos made me the exact opposite. Vigilante justice where the law is what I want it to be, not what I swore to uphold. Fitting isn't it?" Pulling back the hammer, Nick took careful aim at the ram's hoof. "I know there aren't any real nerves in those hooves of yours, but I think a bullet might do some damage anyway. Might have to lose the whole thing. And then of course we can continue with the barrel tanning."

"No wait!" Nick cocked an eye, not lowering the hammer but not squeezing the trigger either. "Look, I don't know all of them but I can point you in the direction of one of them."

"I'm listening."

"I want your word that you'll let me go." Nick shook his head, tightening the trigger. "Wait! At least, just turn me in. I'd rather be in prison than dead."

Nick's expression went back to neutral. For several seconds he stood there as if silently debating with himself. Finally he released the trigger and lowered the gun. "I swear that I will show you mercy if you give me the information I need."

Sighing in both partial relief and also resignation, Edgar bowed his head in submission. "The one you want is a doe named Rachel Leaperson. Shouldn't be too hard to find."

Nick nodded before turning to leave but it seemed a sudden though occurred to him and he paused. "Which one were you, by the way?"

Edgar was confused. "What? One what?"

"C'mon Eddie. Just curious on which one you did. My eye? Ear? I know the wolf was the one doing the main show, so what part did you play?"

Hesitantly the sheep looked at the reynard. His indifferent stance and casual attitude seemed to not raise any alarms in him. "I was the first. I did your eye."

Nick nodded, more to himself than anything. Tapping the gun against his side, he turned and moved to stand back in front of the ram, raising his pistol as he did so.

"Wait! What are you doing?! You said you would turn me in!"

Shaking his head, Nick let his emotions show for the first time, a look of pure disgust and rage taking it's proper place. Putting the gun barrel mere inches from the ram's horizontal pupil, he snarled. "I said I would show you mercy. This is far more merciful than you deserve."

He pulled the trigger.


End file.
